You Don’t Need to Do Everything, Just Do Something

We have a lot of art. Art from friends. Art from strangers. Art we made when we were kids. Art we made last week. Objects we’ve lugged from one city to another. Things we love and want to display as art.

You get the drift.

The problem with our art hoarding is that actually framing said art, getting all our treasured pieces into an appropriate form for display and enjoyment, unfortunately isn’t an inexpensive endeavor. In response to the looming thought of Framing All The Things Ever (or more so paying to frame all the things ever), I simply said, “no.” For years. Much to my wife’s dismay, and to the detriment of how we enjoy and live in our home, too. 

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

In the last few months, we’ve had two large pieces framed. Because you know what? I was right; we can’t afford to frame all the things. But maybe we can figure out how to frame one thing. And then the next thing. And over time, we can have a home full of beautiful framed art.

It’s a funny thing when you build things one step at a time—if you pay attention, you appreciate each step more. I can’t imagine a financial scenario where I could just go out and buy All The Things, All At Once, but I’m not sure I’d really want to anyway. 

I like pacing. I like savoring. I like building.

Vance Havner said, “The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps—we must step up the stairs.” Whatever the scenario is, whatever seems looming and unattainable, whatever you constantly push into some idealized future where you can finally make it happen, all at once—you don’t need to do everything right now. But you can do something. One thing. 

And I promise it’s better.