Two pieces of metal, held together by handles and a screw….

"Two pieces of metal, held together by handles and a screw….

"She felt a fire in her heart; something ignited deep within her soul. It had been many years since she thought of purpose, drive, excitement, and passion"….

Entering adulthood can cause one to forget about the simple joys and pleasures of life. We can get so wrapped up in the everyday mundane tasks of our 9 to 5 jobs, making dinner, watching TV, and going to bed. The simple pleasures of childhood, the awe and excitement of new beginnings, and the joys of playing and painting and creativity shift to "adulting."

When the "virus not to be named" came into existence, I, along with millions of other individuals, was thrust into a world in which we had to come to terms with a significant loss. A loss of self, a loss of identity, a loss of companionship… the list can go on. 

However, the beauty of this time is that so many people adapted and found creative outlets, new passions, hobbies, or gifts and talents they never knew they possessed. A simple swipe through Instagram, and I saw countless individuals painting furniture, cooking, singing, and taking notice of nature. I wanted to feel what they felt.

For the past eight years, I have been a Registered Nurse working in Cancer Care. I was the totality of my job, and when the job itself became so taxing and heartbreaking, I was left empty. Comparable to a piece of furniture left on the side of the road, full of good bones and potential, but left behind. 

But one day, I picked up scissors—two blades of metal with a handle. Yet, the power behind this tool is unquestionable. It can open possibilities, split ideas, cut into chance, provoke creativity. And for myself? It unleashed a passion that I had no idea existed. 

December 2020 was the start of my transformation and creativity, but I had not yet realized the symbolism. Recall that piece of discarded furniture? I began to transform it, taking it from something once forgotten into an item desired by over twenty individuals. I had no experience, but I took a leap of faith and began refinishing an old, outdated desk. It took me around four weeks to cut, sand, paint. Then, I remember using those scissors to cut open packages, liners, and cans.

Upon completion of the desk, I posted it to Kijiji, not expecting any buyers. But was I ever blown away! Within one hour, twenty individuals wanted to purchase my art. 

Fast forward to June 2021, and I have a thriving business taking outdated furniture and breathing new life into it. I am still a Registered Nurse; however, flipping furniture has become my outlet for creativity, a place to zone out and break into my spirit. When I pick up my scissors, tools, and paint, I pour myself into my art and become entrenched in the process. 

Remember that mention about symbolism? I realize now that I relate to an old piece of furniture in more ways than one. The magic of vintage furniture is its ability to last for years. However, once outdated, it is hard for anyone to see the potential for rebirth. So likewise, I have been reborn, transformed from an old self into this thriving individual who smiles from ear to ear at the thought of painting. Who takes so much joy and pleasure in helping others see the potential in their forty-year-old hutch or their grandmother's desk. I never imagined that two pieces of metal, held together by handles and a screw, could revitalize and ignite within myself the potential and excitement for the present and future. I am alive, renewed, and hopeful.

I feel a fire in my heart; something ignited deep within my soul. It had been many years since I thought of purpose, drive, excitement, and passion, and I am so bewildered that a pair of scissors started me on this self-discovery journey.

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