Editor's Note
Redefining Life One Unexpected Bump at a Timeby Zandra Wolfgram
The season of love and stories of weddings has made me a little sentimental. I have always loved the pairing of the unexpected in fashion, food, couples and certainly home decor. When our regular home and garden writer, Lis King, suggested we consider a story on “repurposing” industrial equipment and antiques, I didn’t need convincing. I was imagining cheery garden tools converted into folk art, rusty farm machinery used as paperweights. But, usual with Ms. King, there was so much more stored in her “reclaimed wood wheelhouse.”
Her story surprised me in the best of ways and got me thinking not only about repurposing, but re-engineering, refreshing and redefining things — ourselves.
The story started me thinking about the unexpected. When taking something intended for one thing and reinventing it for something else, could it be that this newly-realized creation might even be more useful, if not beautiful? And how about the by-product of the excitement of the creative challenge itself? How refreshing.
Couldn’t the same idea be applied to how we live our lives? We chart our course, but sometimes the tides of life shift our direction to what seems off course. We may not always have a clear view of the horizon. Setbacks, distractions, even rose-colored glasses may obscure things for a time, but as long as we’re steadily moving forward, and allowing ourselves a bit of creative redesign from time to time, we’ll eventually reach our destination. And, who knows, maybe we’re better for it.
Someone who had gone through a terrible personal ordeal told me recently that when something significant happens, it’s important to not let it define you. Thanks to Ms. King’s story and that friendly advice, I’m looking forward to all the ways the detours in my life will redefine me.
They say the end justifies the means. I’ll let you know when I get there. Until then, I hope the wind is at your back and that you “re”member to enjoy your ride in stride — bumps and all.
