The Measure of Success

Often, we measure success by the money we make, the car we drive, the clothes we wear.  We measure success by how much someone paid for a piece of art that we created, how many pieces we can sell at a show, or how many pieces we can make in a day, a week, a month.  Perhaps those are are some measures of success, but do those measures help us grow as artists or as people?  A woman came into the shop today and told me about a dinner party she had, at which he serve her coffee and tea in the handmade mugs she has purchased throughout the years.  She explained how everyone loved them and the fact that they were all so different.  That simple story warmed my heart.  That is success.  This woman told us how much she loved our work, as did her friends.  This is the story that will make me go back to the studio and try to improve my work, try new shapes, and just get my hands in clay again.  It reminds me of why I love putting my hands in clay....so that others can enjoy the warmth of a mug filled with tea, enjoy eating off a beautiful plate to discover the lovely glaze when all their food is gone, or enjoy displaying nature's bounty in a unique one-of-a-kind vase.  That is what makes me happy...the joy of making others happy.  Success can be measured many ways, but perhaps happiness is the only true measure.