The next morning we woke up to find that our car had been stolen out of apartment parking lot during night. Our car gone? This only happens to other people!

The insurance company paid for a rental car - and of course, they didn't have a small one available and upgraded us to luxury model - wonderful! Since our car was one that was a popular choice for thieves our insurance company decide to wait only two weeks before making a settlement - and it turned out to be an excellent settlement due to a top-of-the-line paint job we'd had done not too long ago.

We got our settlement on a Friday and on Saturday morning we found perfect car - newer, of a higher quality and in superb condition! - which we were able to negotiate for exact settlement price. The following Thursday we took possession of our new car and proudly drove it off lot.

...And we knew without a doubt that THIS was our "Mercedes". We had made our goal come true through desire and action!

The next evening we got a phone call from local police - they had found our stolen car!

This is quite a statement when you hear it. Its quite devastating when you say it. Let’s get back to that painting. Notice different shades of color, subtle hues, and muted brush strokes. You see, more effort we have to put into our choices, and more innovative we have to become to make ends meet, more color and highlights our picture will have. The words in our book will be more endearing and heart-felt, and our tapestry will have features that will make it truly a one-of-a-kind treasure, a masterpiece of a life.

Obstacles are there so that we can learn to go around them, through them or eliminate them. We can ignore them as well, but then this creates a paint smudge, an incorrect sentence, or a slipped stitch.

The person who seems to have it all before we even get started may sit back and marvel at his creative endeavor, and world may stand up and applaud. But upon further inspective, cheering crowds will see that it is only surface beauty, that it is faulty workmanship, and will not stand up to test of time.

In long run, when all paintings, books, and pieces of art are collected, judging criteria will place blue ribbon, or gold medal on one that has all qualities that it takes to be labeled a true masterpiece. There will be no excuses for shoddy workmanship, or quick-fixes. There will be final results, and there will be final judging. The contest will be over and best works of art will walk away with cherished trophies.

So, do we sit back and feel sorry for ourselves, or do we pick up that brush, that pen and that thread and start on what will be story of our life. It will be gallery picture that everyone will want to take a closer look at and admire.

It will be book that others will take to heart and hold dear, and it will be fine embroidery of a life well spent, that will look just as good on opposite side with all threads in fine lines, as it does on top.

What will your masterpiece be? Only you can make that choice, only you can choose colors, words, and strokes. Only your name is on that bank account of time. What you do and how you do it, will be your choice. Will you be proud to sign your name to your work of art, or will you scribble something illegible because you really don’t want to own up to what you have created? The choice is yours.

©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 All Rights Reserved