“C” is for Challenges

Right now, hundreds of bloggers from around the world, myself included, are involved in a month-long blogging challenge which involves writing twenty-six blogs in twenty-six days, one day for each letter of the alphabet. I’m really excited about it this year; I meant to register last year, but forgot until it was too late. I tried to do it unofficially, but life had a tendency to get in the way, so I wasn’t very regular in my writing. this year, though, I’m more organized and come what may, I’m determined to get through this challenge.

Another one of the activities that I enjoy doing (but haven’t had a lot of time for, unfortunately) is quilting. Quilting groups also have challenges, several of which I have enjoyed participating in. I never won a prize, but I did improve my techniques. There are also a number of jewelry challenges in which I might participate someday.

The above mentioned challenges are created to entice us to improve ourselves and to have fun while doing it. They also encourage us to learn how to do new things. A year ago, although I had already had quite a bit of writing experience, from writing my own book (which was a challenge in itself, with all the obstacles put in my way) to writing for an online magazine (also a challenge), I was a completely inexperienced blogger, so of course, I learned new things and greatly improved (at least, I hope) that ability.

Everyday, though, life brings all of us new challenges, giving us the chance to grow and to improve ourselves. If we don’t quite meet the challenge, this in itself should encourage us to try harder and to improve so that next time we will be able to do a better job.

I was born with only one fully developed hand, which is quite a challenge in itself, especially if you consider that I was born left-handed with very little use of my left hand. I was a very determined child, however, and with the greatest mother a child in my position could desire, I was truly not allowed to rest on what you could call a good excuse to not try, to give up. I was also very stubborn and when someone said “You can’t do that; you only have one hand…” that was the biggest challenge anyone could hand me, and there I would go. A lot of the stuff I did then, like climb trees, play tetherball, switch hit in baseball, play volleyball, play the trumpet, knit, crochet and quilt, were all the result of being told I couldn’t do them. (I guess I showed them! )

Today, I’m facing other, equally difficult challenges. Since my dearest friend died in December just getting up to face a new day is a challenge. As I lay in bed I sometimes ask myself, “Why bother? There’s nobody there who cares what you do, so just stay where you are…” Then, I hear Mr. Cardinal singing his beautiful song and I look up to see if I can find him, and behold! there is that silly little black feral cat doing her gymnastics routine next to my American flag in the window outdoors (she earns her keep by entertaining me) and I know there is a reason to get up, and once again that daily challenge is overcome. And I’m getting a little better everyday.

And of course, if I don’t get up, how can I meet the A-Z Blogging Challenge?

 

©2014 Mary Purpari