Ariel by June Rollins
At least Think About It
Last week in Sunday school the teacher asked us what we wanted to accomplish in 2010. We replied by studying our hands. “Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in our day to day routines and not think about it,” he said, studying his own hands. We nodded in agreement, relieved to be off the hook.
Maybe that’s why in the monthly intermediate watercolor classes I have my students set quarterly goals. I give everyone a blank note card and envelope and ask them to write a letter of projected outcomes and encouragement to themselves. They give me the self-addressed sealed envelopes and at the end of each quarter I drop them in the mail.
This past December we evaluated our sessions and I asked them if the quarterly goal setting exercise was working. A few looked like my Sunday school class and the rest shook their heads
and laughed.
“I never do what I say I’m going to do!” announced one candid soul.
They hadn’t gotten the best results, but still wanted to continue doing it in 2010.
“Why?” I asked.
“At least it makes us think about it,” they cried.
We all had a good laugh when one student explained that when her 4th quarter letter came, she could not figure out who it was from. The handwriting looked familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
Walking up the driveway back to her house she considered everyone she knew, but remained mystified.
It was only after she opened the letter and started reading she said, “Oh, it’s just me reminding me to love myself.”
Not a bad goal, especially, if at first we don’t succeed.
I’ve had one goal that has been like an unpaid debt following me around year after year, the goal to do pastel portraits.
Eight years ago, I bought pastels, pastel paper and pastel instruction books. But the next four years went buy with no efforts and no results. The next 3 years I made a few feeble attempts not worth mentioning. But this year, after telling my students about my goal during one of the quarterly goal setting sessions something new ignited. I suddenly felt accountable and completed 8 portraits.
Those first few we won’t talk about. The challenge for me was learning how to measure in order to get accurate proportions to achieve a likeness. I realized I needed to simplify by eliminating color and switched to graphite and charcoal. Even though I still have a lot to learn, when I attempted pastel again, the process went smoother and I saw improvement in the results.
I’m aware of how few of us actually follow through on New Year’s resolutions. “So, why bother?” But what’s our other option?
At least think about it. And, based on my experience, if we want to increase our odds, we tell somebody about our goals.
Oh, and this year, let’s remind ourselves to love
ourselves, no matter what.
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
It is because we no not dare that they are difficult. --Seneca
June Rollins
Visit June's website to view her art gallery at www.artbyjune.net
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