Day 6: Transformed into Something more Useful than It's Original Self

I have a sorting system on my third floor. There is a series of boxes, bins, and garbage bags that items from the attic boxes go into: recycling, using elsewhere in the house, craft item boxed up for later, freecycling/re-gifting, donations, trash, etc. You get the picture. When a container is full it goes downstairs for final disposition which usually involves stumbling down the narrow stairway with my Quality Control Specialist underfoot.

On one such trip my husband looked at the box I'd been using saying, Here, let me help you with that. I think I can make that better.

What? Make this old box better? I was thinking of breaking it up for recycling. It's kinda ugly and not very sturdy. It's been in the attic awhile and a little worse for wear.

Sure, he continued, I can fix it up. Just give me a few minutes.

Here is that box 10 minutes and lots of duct tape later, transformed into something more useful than its original self. Previously the box had no handles, Keith cut these out and reinforced them with duct tape. Sides and bottom were reinforced, too. See, just lay some newspaper in the bottom and you've got a great box now. Use it until you finish your project.

I'm sorta like that box. Right now I'm a little worse for wear. I am tired. I don't mean physically tired, although I am that, but I mean WEARY. Weary, that tiredness that goes down into your soul. Some days I'm not very sturdy since I have a bad knee. My hair isn't the color it used to be and my face has more than a few wrinkles.

BUT, I am reinforced. DAILY. The duct tape that covers me comes by the grace of God in the form of my extended family, my long-time friends scattered across the country, (actually around the world - from Joshua and Micalagh in Belize to Dan, Roxanne, Destiny and Meg in Africa) my church family at St Paul's Episcopal my (second) church family at New Hope Community (with whom I work), my Dream Team artist community, my (mostly) younger friends and neighbors at The Makespace and my other work colleagues. Their prayers for and with me, hugs, jokes, notes, random acts of kindness, encouragement; all become the duct tape that reinforces me. Their tape intertwines with the tape of light from those I loved that have passed from this world, forming not only reinforcement but giving me handles to carry my burdens more easily. I transformed into something more useful and far stronger than I would be alone. I fall on my knees and give thanks at the knowledge of how richly blessed I am!

A nod to my Quality Control Specialist Lady Jane Grey. Nary a box comes into or goes out of our home without her detailed inspection.