The grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side of the fence. Some people learn that and other life lessons quickly and smoothly; other people learn their lessons in bits and pieces.
I’m a bits-and-pieces learner. That’s one reason I love making mosaics. It’s a blast to take shards of china and flea-market castoffs, make a huge mess with handfuls of oozing grout and ultimately create something beautiful in a shattered, funky sort of way.
I ran into a mosaic artist at a recent Chicago sidewalk fair. His work was stunning–huge, whimsical mirrors, clocks, cupboards and wall displays, with scrumptious, pastel-grout backgrounds weaving like ribbons around bursts of flowered china.
One glance at the artwork’s hefty price tags and I started to dream big–maybe, just maybe, I could earn a living making mosaics in a charming little cottage on a tropical island and never comb my hair or change out of my pajamas . . .
I introduced myself as a Tribune employee. The artist’s eyes lighted up.
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to write!” he said. “Perhaps you could give me some tips. Do I need an agent? Do I have to know someone? Should I self-publish? I just want to write.”
There’s that green grass, on my side of the fence!