Says who, exactly?

Last week, I ran through the grocery store at the end of a work day in my usual glamorous work attire, a paint spattered t-shirt and paint encrusted pants, so of course the clerk asked what I paint. I explained I mostly do faux and murals, and she said, "Oh, I did too, but it's too much work once you hit 40, and so hard to find customers these days. Too hard working for yourself." She didn't exactly look thrilled to be scanning my oats and yogurt, either. I wanted to shake her awake, to somehow inspire her, but pointing out that I'm a good bit over 40 didn't seem the way to start, and everything else that came to mind just seemed sure to depress her further.

A couple of days later, I had to deal with someone over the phone whose job it is to listen to stressed out unhappy customers. He said it wasn't that bad, and he was just lucky to have a job. Was this the job he dreamed of as a kid, I asked, and got a long silence, followed by something like, "We all gotta grow up..." I suggested he might want to investigate the veracity of this a little further.

Now, I'm not always flush for money, and business surely has more ups and downs in recent years than it used to, but most days, I'm pretty danged happy to go to work. In the past few weeks I've painted big blue flowers and little baby tigers, sculpted hummingbirds and lettered inspiring quotes, taught a 7 year old how to make polymer clay beads, wrote instructions for a dozen decorating and craft projects of my own design, helped a friend pick colors that truly make her heart sing, and took my dog to work most days, on the days I actually had to go anywhere to work. When I was 14, this would have been my idea of goofing off. 30 years later, it's my job. Maybe we gotta grow up, but we don't have to grow old.

Do make it a point to live all the minutes of your life, including those you spend earning a living. All the Keystone women are dedicated to making a living by making your life better, and to the idea that working together we can make each others businesses better. We welcome your questions about our services, and if you are a woman in business we welcome new members to our meetings every Monday at 1:00 at Mystic Journey.

I have come that you might have color, and that you might have it more abundantly! :)
Dawn-Marie, "Artist in Wonderland" at The Art of the Home theartofthehome.blogspot.com