This is an empty space in my backyard.
Once upon time, queen palms grew in this corner. They were maybe 15 feet tall. There were three of them, positioned in a triangular shape. I liked how they looked. But then they died, and I had my landscaper pull them out. The saddest thing to see in your backyard is a dead palm.
Now this empty space is all that's left, and a few rocks. The grass doesn't like to grow back that far.
I've kept the space empty for a reason. It has nothing to do with my BIKE Lessons, and yet it has everything to do with my BIKE Lessons.
You see, that space represents promise.
One day, when I can afford to buy them, I'm going to replace the three palm trees with three rustic iron Mariachi men. One will be playing a guitar. One will be playing the violin. And the third will have a trumpet. And they'll have to be at least six-feet-tall.
The coolest thing about my Mariachi men will be the music they play. I plan to hire someone to affix speakers to the Mariachi men, and they will somehow be connected to music that plays when the door opens. It will startle my visitors the first time they hear it, I'm sure. But I'm going to get a kick out of this great idea of mine. Can you imagine stepping outside to a loud burst of "Ay ay ay ay" or "La cucaracha"?
Have you ever made a promise like this to yourself? What was it, and how long did it take to keep it?
Posts
10 comments:
i have never made a promise to have mariachi men in my home:) i think it's a cool idea, and it's so much fun to have a place to create in our homes. mostly i like placing colorful lights in areas of my home, usually soft lights, even christmas string lights. if that sounds like a clubhouse, well, yeah:)
This really made me smile!!! I was picturing your visitors coming out and hearing the sound of singing!! Too great!
I like strings of lights as well, Ed. Lots of choices out there for that now. It's a lot of work to turn your house into a home, though, and so I do it in steps. I find, as I use my space--or don't--that's how I know what to place there. That corner just "sings" Mariachi to me, as Anjuli mentions above. It makes me smile, too, Anjuli. I can't wait. My boyfriend points them out to me all the time. We saw one today, in fact. Only this one was probably 20 feet tall. Too big. My neighbors probably wouldn't like that. Certainly, I couldn't match the music to their size. I'd be breaking a city ordinance, I'm sure. :-)
Loved this whimsical post! The idea of a space with PROMISE is great.
Alexandra, it's true. Though this thought is whimsical. Other empty spaces may not be. If, for instance, I filled my work space up with a job, I'd never make room for freelancing and writing about the things I really enjoy. I've learned to save my empty spaces for the things that were meant to be there, not the things I might settle for, instead. It's a much better use of space.
I'd like to be at the first party when they arrive...
Love it! I suppose it's because of the part of country I'm in now, but I haven't seen any of these. I hope you'll post a picture of your Mariachi men soon. Don't wait until your promise is fulfilled, I want to see some soon! LOL
Such a fresh thought in a world that has become in need of immediate gratification!
Jackie,
I've never done this, but this post makes me want to find some space and make a similar promise.
Kristie, good idea. I'll take photos next time I'm out looking for them in town. I think I'm going to have to make a trip to Tubac, Ariz., to find them, though. Either that, or Mexico. Might have to sell a story to do that. I can see the headline line, "In Search of Metal Man." Or something. If you have a copy of my travel guide, you could see an example of what I'm talking about on page 96--the publisher opened my chapter on Tubac with the photo I took of one. He's not quite the kind I'm looking for. I included a link to the style I like in the post above.
Kathleen, I let these things happen organically. If a spot at your home becomes available, think about the first thing that comes to mind when you think about refilling it. That's how these things happen for me.
Proof you are one creative woman! I make small promises to myself every now and again. For example, I promise to go on a small clothing shopping spree as soon as a I line up another large project.
Post a Comment