Gifting

Recently, I have been having a great time giving small gifts to people that cross my path each day.  I have even been thinking about it as some kind of "calling."  I love to see the smile on people's faces and the surprise in their eyes when I just give them something unexpectedly.  Often times I don't even know the people who I am gifting.  One time, a waitress admired my handmade earrings and I left them for her with the tip.  Another time I took little pieces of art that I made, put them into gum ball machine capsules, went to the local bagel shop, and handed them out to everyone who was there.  One of my neighbors was recovering from a back injury so I gave her a bluejay feather that I had found that morning for good luck.  Today I put a lavender sachet in my purse made out of a vintage handkerchief and gave it to a receptionist at a doctor's office.  And now I am imagining what I can do tomorrow and in the days to come - it is so much fun!

After two months of being a shop keeper I decided to close the doors.   I found out that the retail life is not for me.  Too much sitting around - I don't have the patience for it.  (At one time I was excused from jury duty in NYC by claiming "chronic impatience" as a medical condition!)  Having my own store has always been my dream, but this was not the right time or the right place for me.  I also discovered that people don't really want to buy handmade things these days.  They like to look at them and think they are very creative but don't choose to spend their money on them, especially when they are made out of recycled materials.  I will probably continue to make them anyway and maybe someday I will stumble upon something that will sell better.  If not, I will have lots of wonderful gifts to give to all the wonderful people in my life.  And of course I will continue to be an artist - maybe the art of fishing will be my next step.  I already made earrings out of fishing lures, so I have the appropriate outfit.  What else could I possibly need?