Tag: imperfections

The Spirograph Effect: Creativity in Life Design

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

“Not all who wander are lost”–J.R.R. Tolkien

Close-up of hands using drawing tools to create a spiral geometric design on paper.

A Student’s Doodle Sparks a Memory✍️

Months ago, I observed a student drawing spiraling circles over and over on a sheet of notebook paper while participating in our class discussion. For some reason, I was reminded of an old toy my siblings and I once enjoyed: the Spirograph. I can’t remember which one of us received it, but we would sit together for what seemed like hours at the kitchen table drawing colorful, eye-popping (at least to us) geometric shapes.

Four children gathered around a table, smiling and drawing colorful patterns on a large sheet of paper using various markers.

Lessons Hidden in a Childhood Toy ꩜

Reflecting upon that long-ago childhood toy, led to the realization that the Spirograph illustrates the significance of specific concepts when it comes to creating our own life design, such as the influence of structure, patience, persistence, and the importance of celebrating our own unique individuality. It also emphasizes the value of working through natural constraints and trusting the process of learning through repetition. What’s more, the Spirograph demonstrates the relevance of trial and error–which often includes failure–as well as accepting the beauty that can be found in our so-called “imperfections”.

The Spirograph’s Ingenious Origins 👨‍🔬

To appreciate the genius of the spirograph as a toy, requires understanding a bit of its history. Denys Fisher, a British engineer, created it as a child’s play thing based upon various iterations, beginning as early as 1827. At the time of its original conception, it was used for advancing mathematical and engineering concepts. Spirograph, the toy, wasn’t available until 1965, and it went on to win “Toy of the Year” in 1967. Unbelievably, it is still available today.

This classic geometric drawing toy originally came with two transparent rings, two transparent bars, 18 clear wheels of varying sizes, two colored ink pens, pushpins, putty, and paper. Using the various tools, my siblings and I could draw precise, and quite mesmerizing, mathematical curves known as hypotrochoids, epitrochoids, and cycloids. With the switch of any one part, we could vary the size, shape, and geometry of intricate and, at the time, mind-boggling patterns. Essentially, the Spirograph is operated on a balance of limitation and creative freedom, which reflects much of the human experience.

A box of the original Spirograph design set, featuring colorful geometric designs and detailing the contents, including pieces and tools for creating intricate patterns.

Art Through Limits: Creative Freedom Within Structure 🎨

When one is drawing with the Spirograph, one has to adapt to its restrictions. The designs made by using the Spirograph are limited by the size and shape of the wheels and whether you are using the rack or the ring, as well as the color of the chosen pen(s) used to design a figure. Additionally, there are rules for creating specific outcomes as described in its guide book.  While it isn’t necessary to follow the laid-out directions, if one desires it to create a specific shape or design, one has to follow the step-by-step instructions.

This is similar to life in many ways. Influences in life vary from person to person and from family to family, often dependent upon experiences, education, and available information. Many individuals have followed very specific guidelines provided by parents, religion, schools, and even societal norms while others may have fewer influences. For many of us, following a structured timeline is how we landed in our current field/career path.  However, there are just as many, who followed a winding path of their own creation, and still produce a meaningful life experience. Like the Spirograph, following guidelines creates remarkable results for some people, while for others, grabbing the gears and turning them their own darn way works just as well.

Black and white abstract spiral pattern created with lines and arrows, resembling a geometric design.

The Power of Patience and Trusting the Process 🙏

When working with the Spirograph, my siblings and I had to have faith in the process. We had to further learn that creating something meaningful takes time. The desired design outcome emerged slowly, turn by turn, and layer upon layer. In sum, the Spirograph required us to have patience, trust the process, and stay the course. 

Similarly, our life journey takes time as we, hopefully, continuously evolve and grow. We may have times we question the process, or we may waiver in our faith, patience, and persistence. However, rushing life outcomes usually ends up backfiring. Moreover, the time required for personal growth fosters resilience, a much needed companion to patience. We only have one precious life, and as our life design unfolds, with all of its curves and angles, it is never worth rushing. 

A colorful doodle featuring spiraling circles and geometric shapes, reminiscent of designs created with a Spirograph toy.

Failure, Play, and the Magic of Repetition 🖍️

With the Spirograph, I recall that we often learned through repetition and play. We might draw the same shape over and over, sometimes changing the color, or merely changing the size. Other times, we followed the guidelines, and somehow still managed to “fail”!  And, yet, many of those so-called failures ended up being unique and pretty creations–even if they did not come out as planned. Other times, we would just “mess around” to see what we could create. Some results were not so spectacular, but other times, the creations were fairly impressive or, at the very least, provided us with a new understanding for creating specific curves and/or angles. 

Life can often be the same way. How many of us have experienced times where we “followed the rules,” doing what we were “supposed to do,” and still somehow managed to fall flat on our face. Years later, however, we may look back and realize that those “failings” led to something far greater than we could have ever imagined. Other times, a bit of experimentation leads to a new life path or experience that brings unexpected joy we might not have otherwise known. Thus, like the Spirograph, a playful and experimental mindset can lead to untold delights and adventures.

A collection of hand-drawn spirals in varying sizes, arranged artistically on a blank background.

The Beauty of Uniqueness in Design—and in Life 🖼️

Learning to welcome individual uniqueness was another life lesson the Spirograph provided. It often intrigued my young mind how my siblings and I could make the same design, but with a switch of pen color or pressure, or switch of a gear wheel, we could make each drawing unique, despite the fact we were essentially using the same tools. 

Sometimes, we would be surprised when trying to make the exact same shape, because we accidentally missed one of the required steps. Skipping one step, tended to create an irregular shape. Nonetheless, our younger selves marveled at the unique loveliness of the design. Our child-size egos told us we were pioneering artists in those moments!

Marks of Authenticity: Irregular Paths, Unique Lives

What a powerful reminder of the importance of celebrating our own–and others’– idiosyncrasies, including any so-called irregular paths. These individual characteristics and traits, as well as any “irregular paths’ traveled, are all marks of authenticity–that one-of-a-kind spice in our life serving. As humans, our genetic material is vastly similar across all humanity. Yet, this same genetic material still manages to create unique DNA characteristics, such as varying eye color, height, body shapes, and so forth. Furthermore, despite our similar genetic makeup, our lived experiences vary. In a sense, we are pioneering artists of our own lives.

A colorful collection of intricate geometric patterns resembling designs created with a Spirograph. The spirals and mandalas feature vibrant colors and diverse shapes, showcasing creativity and uniqueness.

Embracing Life’s Curves and Imperfections 🌀

Like the Spirograph of my childhood, we all deal with life constraints, no matter what path we try to create for ourselves. These life designs often, and sometimes repeatedly, require practice, patience, perseverance. Life also requires us to accept the many so-called imperfections and irregularities that come as part of the creative process. However, those “flawed” experiences give our life meaning and purpose. Therefore, it is worth remembering we have the power to play and create with the pen we have. All those curved lines and angles that make up our lives, including the missteps, are what continues to compose and create our magnificent, one-of-a-kind life design. Let’s embrace the possibilities.

Who’s ready to draw? ✍️

Threading a Needle–Embracing Imperfection Wholly

by stephsimply, posted in Simple Observations and Musings

Spare me perfection. Give me instead the wholeness that comes from embracing the full reality of who I am, just as I am. —David Benner

Here I am, photographed at home in a dress Mom sewed for me.

As a child, my mother sewed a large portion of my clothes, especially my dresses.  Of course, I took this talent for granted as a child.  In fact, it wasn’t until I was in my early twenties, and shopping for so-called “professional” clothes to wear while student-teaching that I began to truly realize what a gift mom’s sewing had been for me. 

It was my senior year at Ohio University, Athens campus.  It was still the era of the quarter system across most Ohio universities throughout the state. This meant that I had a break from Thanksgiving through the beginning of January.  Therefore, I used this time to work, and this year was no exception.  However, since I knew I needed appropriate clothes for student-teaching, I landed a job at Lazarus (now Macy’s) at our local mall.  My goal was to not only work, but also to take advantage of the employee discount and after-Christmas sales.

I am pictured far right with the high school group of special education students I taught inn 1987. Notice how oversized my store-bought clothes were!

I already knew that I needed to shop in the petite section of the women’s department as I was (and am) less than five feet in height, but what came as a shock to me is how long so-called “petite” sleeves and lengths of skirts, dresses, and pants were!  Plus, according to manufacturer measurements, my body shape did not fit into a precise size category.  Without belaboring the point too much, it was during these tear-filled hours spent in the Lazarus dressing room desperately trying to find a few items to fit my proportions that my appreciation for my mother’s tailoring grew.

Thinking back to Mom’s sewing, I can recall the efforts she would take to thread the needle–literally and figuratively–while sewing clothes for me. While she would begin each dress, skirt, or blouse made for me with a purchased pre-made pattern, she would also painstakingly take my measurements and alter the size of the pattern accordingly before cutting the cloth.  Throughout the sewing process, she would pin the cloth first, ask me to put it on, adjust the proportions as needed, and then thread either the sewing machine needle or her own personal needle to stitch each piece together.

The dress my Mom stitched for me in honor of my college graduation.

  In order to sew one complete dress for me, Mom was required to thread one of those needles repeatedly, perhaps even thousands of times.  I can recall countless moments of watching Mom attempting to insert the thread through the eye of the needle. Thinking back on it, she had to ensure all of the fibers/strands of thread fit through the tiny eye together. If one strand did not go through, the needle was not properly threaded, and she had to try again. The thread had to go through the eye wholly to live up to the task required by Mom.  In fact, in order to prevent a strand from sticking out, Mom would often wet the thread’s end and twist it tightly together.  Both creator and creation had to be fully concentrated in order for all fibers to fit through the eye. 

Reflecting upon this, I realized what powerful lessons were there in Mom’s sewing. On one hand, there is the lesson of flaws.  Mom, the creator of my dresses, did not see me as flawed–not fitting some arbitrary manufacturer standards.  Rather, she saw me as a whole–as the Creator sees each of us.  Mom was able to take my unique dimensions and measurements in order to create a whole piece that fit one-of-a-kind me.  Her fully, concentrated threads and efforts afforded me the opportunity to be adorned in perfectly fitting clothes, so that as a child, I could fully and wholly concentrate on my own efforts and energies into typical childhood endeavors.  

  • My brother, Scott, and me in matching outfits sewed by our mom.
  • My brother, Scott, and me in matching outfits sewed by our mom.

On the other hand, Mom’s repeated endeavors to thread the needle also provides another lesson–one of our Creator, and the way in which we were designed to live.  When Mom fashioned clothes for me, she had to take my so-called flawed measurements–measurements not taken into account by the pattern manufacturer.  Additionally, she sometimes had to use fabric remnants, old thread, or even mismatched thread to sew various items of clothing for me.  There were times her needle broke, her stitches were off, or a measurement was off.  There were times I even watched Mom painstakingly pick out all of the stitches along one piece, and start all over.  No matter the mistakes, accidents, mismatched thread, or sale-fabric, in the end, it wasn’t the flaws that I saw and wore, it was the whole–the entirety of the piece.

My grandparents and me photographed on the steps of their church. I am wearing a dress Mom sewed for me for Old-Fashion Days celebration.

That is how the Creator designed us to live–wholly.  Humans are not perfect, nor were we meant to be perfect.  Just as I am not “standard-sized,” our lives are not either.  It is our imperfections, blemishes, and fallibility that make us perfectly human. By embracing ourselves as we are–flaws and limitations–we are able to find our strengths and uniquenesses.  Furthermore, our mistakes, our errors, and our unfortunate times of sorrow all work together to create a richer and more wholehearted approach to life and to others–after all, how can we possess empathy for other humans if we live a “perfect” life.

It is only when we take time to bind our individual talents and gifts, along with our imperfections, that we are able to thread the eye of our lives. We were designed to be “non-standard.”  How would any work site come together if we all had the same skill-set?  In fact, how would any couple, family, team, town, and so forth, grow, develop, and thrive together if everyone were the same.

My brother, Scott, and me, once more in outfits stitched by our mom.

Life is not standard.  No one person is standard.  Each of us, however, is whole–wholly imperfect and Divinely designed to offer this world what no one else can offer.  Let each of us embrace our differences, and embrace the differences of others too. As brown sugar, butter, flour, and chocolate chips individually come together in a hot oven to create delicious cookies, so too do the trials and fires of life bind us together.  It is my lesson to learn and share that life is more beautifully adorned when we openly and humbly accept our imperfections and allow the Creator’s thread to bind us together in order to live our perfectly, imperfect designed lives.

My brother, Scott, and me, I am a dress stitched by mom.