Tired, But Full: Finding the Things That Give Us Life
Sometimes you can be completely exhausted and completely full at the very same time.
That pretty much sums up my week.
I’m writing this from Colorado, a day later than my usual Wednesday blog because, well…life happened. There was teaching. There was traveling. There was family. There were old friends. There were naps.
And there was a whole lot of joy.
Sometimes You Go Anyway
Before I left for Colorado, I’ll admit I was nervous.
With everything my body has been through lately, fatigue has become a pretty constant companion. Add Colorado altitude to the mix, and even my doctors warned me that making this trip might not be the greatest idea.
But you know me.
I went.
Monday I presented my fiber art lecture and trunk show to the Monarch Quilters in Salida, Colorado. I had worried about whether I would have the energy to do it, whether my brain fog would cooperate, and whether my body would decide halfway through that it had other plans.
Instead, something wonderful happened.
I started talking about fiber art.
I started telling the stories behind my work.
I started sharing the crazy materials, techniques, experiments, successes, failures, and all the
things that make this art form so much fun.
And suddenly I wasn't thinking about how tired I was.
I was doing what I love.
And the response was amazing.
Freaky Fiber Fun Indeed!
Tuesday we headed to Buena Vista for my Freaky Fiber Fun class with the same wonderful group.
And we had FUN.
There is something incredibly energizing about being in a room filled with people who are willing to play, experiment, laugh, and try something new.
No perfection required.
No worrying about whether you're doing it "right."
Just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to see what happens.
In other words…
No Rules, Just Art®.
Those ladies were wonderful, and watching them explore and create reminded me all over again why I love teaching.
Was I tired?
Hell yeah.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Apparently, I Don't Know How to Rest
I stayed with my friend while I was in Salida, and somewhere in there I probably should have been resting.
That was the plan, anyway.
Instead, my friend and her sister wanted to get an early start on their Freaky Fiber Fun pieces, and then they wanted me to show them how to make fabric beads.
Well, you don't have to ask me twice.
Out came the supplies.
Next thing I knew, I was demonstrating, explaining, experimenting, and showing them all kinds of fun things they could do.
Should I have been taking a nap?
Probably.
Did I care?
Not even a little bit.
Somewhere in all of this, I was supposed to be resting. Apparently, Reggie—the dog at my friend’s house—understood that concept much better than I did. He was more than happy to demonstrate proper relaxation techniques. I, on the other hand, kept teaching art techniques. 😂
Because once again, I was doing something I love with people who were excited about creating.
And that got me thinking.
Rest Isn't Always Doing Nothing
We usually think of rest as stopping.
Sit down. Put your feet up. Take a nap. Do nothing.
And believe me, right now I am becoming quite the expert at naps.
But maybe there is another kind of rest, too.
Maybe some things restore us even while we're doing them.
Creating does that for me.
Teaching does that for me.
Being around curious, creative people does that for me.
They may not necessarily give my body more energy, but they fill up another part of me that desperately needs feeding, too.
The People Who Fill Our Cup
After class Tuesday, I headed back toward Denver to spend some time with my son and daughter-in-law.
And yes, they are babying me like crazy.
I'm allowing it.
See? Growth!
It feels so good to be around family again—to simply be together without an agenda. I can rest. I can nap. I can sit and visit. And somebody else can worry about me for a little while.
But one of the greatest gifts of this trip was getting to spend time with two of my best friends from my IBM days.
We've known each other for more than 40 years.
FORTY YEARS!
We don't get to see each other very often anymore, but you know those friendships where time simply disappears?
That's us.
We got together, and it was as though we'd just seen each other yesterday.
We laughed. We talked. We caught up. And for a little while, all those years between visits simply vanished.
It was one of the absolute highlights of my trip.
There are some people in our lives who don't require anything from us.
We don't have to explain ourselves.
We don't have to perform.
We don't have to catch them up on every chapter for them to understand the story.
We just pick up where we left off.
Those people are treasures.
Tired Doesn't Mean Empty
Right now, I am tired.
Really tired.
The brain fog is still hanging around. My body still reminds me regularly that it has been through a lot. I'm taking naps, slowing down, and learning—sometimes reluctantly—to listen when my body says, "That's enough for today."
But here's the interesting part.
I'm tired…
but I'm not empty.
In fact, I feel pretty darn full.
Full of laughter.
Full of creativity.
Full of friendship.
Full of family.
Full of gratitude.
And maybe that's the lesson I'm taking home from Colorado.
Pay Attention to What Fills You
We spend a lot of time talking about the things that drain our energy.
And that's important.
But maybe we should spend just as much time noticing the things that give something back.
Who are the people who leave you feeling lighter after you've been with them?
What activity makes you lose track of time?
Where do you feel most like yourself?
What makes you laugh?
What sparks your curiosity?
What makes you tired—but somehow more alive at the end of it?
Those things matter.
Especially during the seasons of life when our energy is limited.
Maybe the goal isn't always to protect every ounce of energy we have.
Maybe sometimes it's about deciding where that precious energy is worth spending.
For me, this week, it was worth spending on art.
On teaching.
On friendship.
On family.
And yes, now I'm spending a little of it on a very important activity I've become quite skilled at lately…
Taking a nap.
Your Turn
Think about your own life for a minute.
What fills you back up?
Who are the people, places, passions, or experiences that nurture you? What leaves you feeling more like you again?
Whatever it is, make a little room for it.
Because sometimes you can be tired…
and still be wonderfully, beautifully full.
No Rules, Just Art®
Deb
DJ's Fiber Arts
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