there are days. then there are THOSE days, yesterday being one of them. i was reminded of the toll mental illness can take and where it leads to in a society with heels firmly dug in against the costs of creating solutions-or at the very least putting into place a safety net for people who are in no condition to make decisions for their own health, safety, and welfare without going to extremes. but no, once again we must wait for the bottom to fall out before we can affect some sort of solution. in that waiting period, we trust; what else can we do?
on another front, i am reminded that even if you do your best work over many years, you share that work far and wide, you teach that work, that this does not assure education managers of trade shows won’t pass over your teaching proposal in favor of someone who signed up for your online class a year ago; someone who has no body of work on the subject at hand to back it up but has an “in” with the right crowd. just know that to be true. i am reminded to remember this when choosing shows and teaching venues. sometimes i am naive and forget these things, being in the bubble of my studio here.
then, as if that were not the end of a very, very long day, a late email arrives effusively deriding (even threatening!) me for a mistake on an order. crestfallen, i make haste in correcting the error, reshipping the order via express mail and emailing back all pertinent info and an even more effusive apology AND refunding the original order (although, admittedly, in the back of my mind thinking- ya know, i really don’t need this sort of treatment from a customer even if i did make a mistake).
waking up this morning, i see an email from said customer. the order WAS correctly received. oops. sorry. her mistake.
i had sent a small gift of a silk shibori ribbon scrap bag with the order and for some reason she thought it was all she had received. ahh…nice. a gift turns into this? perhaps we should not be so hasty next time…beauty takes time. even the buds on the apricot tree are slowly bringing us their beautiful sweet bounty.
have a little sympathy for us who make for a living. we are not robots, amazon.com, walmart, or even craftsy. we will make a mistake now and again. we might get a little behind, trying to balance all the things we must do to keep the ship afloat. but the makers i know will go above and beyond for you, making each item by hand. and we will often tuck a little something extra into your package just because we like to imagine your surprise when you receive the order.
all i can say is, i’m glad it is a new day… is it spring where you are yet?
maybe it’s just spring fever!
well, I could add to this list today. And I get all of it loud and clearly. I somehow stitched my way though it this week, and now there is next week. and the one after.
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we’ll make it, i’m pretty sure…
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Ahh Glennis, sorry to hear there are mom-troubles once again, hope all is sorted out soon.
Customers, you could do without some of them yes. But hopefully there are a lot of others who aren’t as quick to (mis)judge things that happen now and then.
I hope you have many more spring (fever) days ;-))
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thanks els. and yes, the positive customer outweighs the negative one for sure. otherwise, i just couldn’t cope! or wouldn’t…
i thought it interesting though that a gift added to an order brought this about. odd.
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…well there are snowdrops pushing through the earth…always a hopeful sign…i am so very sory that you have had this day…i am a fairly new reader, a new customer…sent happily to your site after reading through the history of spiritcloth….earlier this week my first package from you arrived and i was so excited to hold small pieces of silk…they reminded me of the winter..my hands, my fingers snagged on the wonderful cloth and i carefully packed it away and wents scrambling to start making soft again hands that i hadn’t realized had gotten so dry over the winter…i have found threads that i have saved forever, seemingly waiting for cloth like yours…
i cannot, exactly, find the right words or action with which to respond to the sudden anger i felt when reading your blog..i am simply so sorry, for the lack of patience and care and understanding on so many levels of your day…but it seemed wrong not to say anything at all
i know you not at all..but already your work and words have touched my life..gently in a time when that seems very important to me..lately so many things seem wrong and unfair..and personally i am hoping for some balance..i hope your long day ends well and that tomorrow brings you some releif and changes..and who knows a bit of spring without fever..just things new and untouched..or old and full of peace and wonder
many thank yous…cynthia
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change is constant. that is for sure. no two days alike. i think the reminder for me in all this is to refrain from acting too quickly, to slow down.
glad your order arrived in good stead. silk has a way of reminding me to keep my hands moisturized too!
all is well here in shiboriland today. packing boxes to send for a booth set up.
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by the way, i LOVE snowdrops! i used to have some in the yard here but they’ve disappeared…
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I am so sorry for you, it is such an upsetting thing. If only people would stop to think before the act or utter words that are unkind and can never be retrieved. Forget about it, it isn’t worth the effort of your thoughts. Yes, spring is coming!
>________________________________ > From: Shibori Girl >To: kstmetal@yahoo.com >Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:14 AM >Subject: [New post] is it spring yet? それはまだ春です? > > > WordPress.com >shiborigirl posted: ” apricot blossoms’ sweet promise… there are days, and then there are THOSE days. yesterday being one of them. i was reminded of the toll mental illness can take and where it lea” >
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i can’t wait until May! and Japan!
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Good for you!!! Acting with grace in th face of anger….a lesson for us ALL!!! SLOW DOWN and realize what a miracle every moment really is!!!
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as you know- i had abandoned the thought of this post last night but in light of the morning email reconsidered for this reason exactly. a lesson in s l o w i n g down…
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I have not ordered from you (yet!) but I lust after indigo moons. And I wake up each day grateful that there are people like you and jude hill in the world. Your work…and words…are so beautiful.
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how sweet. i think jude would agree, we are all here together. i just made some new ones on old silk but have yet to post them. getting ready for a show is so all consuming. there is no rush.
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May you be blessed with grace, peace and love today. I too had a Mom who needed my care. It is hard to move into the role of mothering our mother. Your blossoms are beautiful. Still full winter here.
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i don’t mind the role of mothering (even a mother)- in fact quite comfortable with it. but this is quite a different (long and ongoing) story…
flowers have always brought me peace.
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People are wierd but don’t let them get you down. Just keep doing what you are doing, because when I see it, all is right with the world.
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much bigger obstacles have been overcome for sure. following passion can be a bumpy road at times but the ride is way more interesting!
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People can be so touchy for no reason at all. We live in such a spontaneous world, sometimes just stopping to breath can make it better. I wish you the best and I am sorry that you took the brunt of another human’s bad day-totally not cool.
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sponteneaty can be risky sometimes-
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oh no, I’m sorry to hear this about the order, I hope the customer was very apologetic and paid you for your work?
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yes, and no. i tend not to like taking money in these circumstances.
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Spring beginning here in England. Crocus and snowdrops, but only daffodil foliage so far. Ah, and the hellebores….
Still very cold though, with a biting wind.
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hellebores. what are those? my narcissus here bloomed around thanksgiving!!
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