Healing, Creating, and Finding Some Peace

Recently, I had a significant injury to the middle finger on my dominant hand. For the first week after, I could have sworn I was in a nightmare and was just waiting to be awakened. Turns out, it happened and, crazy enough, life continued moving right along. The first 3 weeks were really hard. First, dealing with the pain. Then depression. Then boredom. Going from someone who works out 5-6 days a week in addition to my woodcraft to mandatory couch potato status was not on my agenda.

But I made it. The first milestone was getting the stitches out. Knowing I couldn't make things worse by re-opening the wound was weirdly comforting. Bit by bit, I slowly got back into The Gayrage, continuing projects that were waiting patiently for me. Guess what?! I managed to pull off my first market just a few weeks after things seemed so dark. I was able to sell some of the treasures I had been working so hard on. $660 worth. No, that may not be a lot to some, but for me, it's such an affirmation of my art.

What made me happier still was seeing my tribe come out in force to support me. Some in person, helping me set up, stopping by to visit, picking up a treasure for themselves or a loved one, or just sending encouragement from afar. Friends and family kept me smiling all day.

All this to say, I am so thankful to still be doing this thing I love. And I am doing it with so much gratitude for the friends and family that have continued to support me throughout this journey, especially in this last season where there was just a little less of me that needed them.