For years I've been wanting to give an old piano bench a makeover and for years I pushed the project off. The bench has been in my family for quite a while, and I remember both my grandmother and my mother using it in our homes.
It's an easy project but I always had an excuse to put it off. I always had a reason why I couldn't find the time to give it the attention I've been wanting to. For years it sat in my garage, before that it was in our dining room where our pets used it as a perch to look out the window.
It was a very ugly bench with hideous upholstery from the 1970s and I honestly don't know why I lived with it looking so bad for so long. Then one day this past summer I realized that if I keep pushing it off I may never get to enjoy my trash to treasure furnishing. So, I picked up the sander, ordered paint online, and made a trip to the fabric store.
I worked on it for two days, sanding, priming and painting. When it came time to reupholster the seat I caught covid and pushed the project to the back of my priority list again. I'm fairly sure my family thought I would never complete my little bench, but yesterday was the day. Still in my bathrobe, a cup of coffee in my hand, I grabbed all the supplies and finally did the deed. Checkmark.
It took me five months to get the job done but I did it and I'm loving it already. What made me finally take the plunge? I think it was fear.
I was afraid of not enjoying the feeling of accomplishment you get when you've finished something you set out to do. I was afraid that one day I wouldn't have the dexterity in my hands to do the job well. I watched my mother struggle with arthritis in her hands so I know how debilitating it can be.
What I really feared was time. I did the math, and realized the sooner I finished my bench the longer I'd have to enjoy it. I've decided to allow fear motivate me to take on other projects and hobbies. I'm also allowing fear prompt me to take trips I've been wanting to take. There's no good reason to put them off anymore. The children are adults, my health is good, and I have more time now than I've had in decades. It's time to get busy and stay busy for as long as possible.
It's time for me to make time for the things I want to do.
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