The Art of Finishing

In this world of instant gratification, packaged meals delivered to your door, the just heat-an-eat generation is upon us. Where is the joy in that? Are there any out there who remember waking on Thanksgiving morning to the smell of a baking turkey? Or the smell of bread or rolls hot from the oven? How about the smell of apple pie hot from the oven? Speed seems to be the way it is now.

I have been weeding my blueberry patch. It is a slow process, no Weed Wacker in use here. It is the old fashioned, crawl-on-the-ground version of weeding, my version. What do I get out of this besides sore knees, dirty clothes, and sore hands? I get the literal joy of watching the berries appear, tiny at first. I get to watch them grow. This is not in the same category as watching grass grow. No, believe it or not, it’s actually fun to watch a crop grow, be it corn, tomatoes, or blueberries. There is excitement in seeing something you’ve planted grow.

My neighbor commented on how good the blueberry patch looks, she said that I should have taken a before and after picture. I had not thought at all about taking a picture. I was just happy to see the progress I make as I get the job done. Slow for sure. I don’t do very many things quickly these days.

What is the writing lesson hidden in this post? First, you have to start. Then you have to keep at it. When it is finished, you may think it looks great, but you should get other eyes on it. Others may see things you’ve missed. It isn’t time for harvest or celebration, for sure there is more work to do. My blueberry patch looks a lot better than when I started, and the weeds aren’t sucking nutrients from my  plants. Is it done? No, it’s done when you have a great crop of blueberries to share or freeze. As in writing, it seems to me that finishing, completing what you started is a pleasant experience.

Author Stephen Pyne once wrote. “Many start, few finish.” Let’s be among the few!