The Expectation of Order

It's nice to wake up in the morning and feel like I'm all caught up with things I need to do. Once in a while that happens. On those days, I feel orderly and in control (mmm hmm.) In those moments when things around me feel orderly, it feels like a comfort and a blessing. It's like the feeling when my house has just been cleaned, and all is right with the world. I just want to sit on the couch and enjoy how nice it is just for a minute until I resume what appears to be the chaos of beads and Micron pens. Or the cat decides now is a good time to get rid of the hairball on the nice clean carpet.
   There are different kinds of order. There is order as in the big picture scheme of things, where everything truly is in its place. A big part of me always knows that.  But then there is that self-imposed, 'gotta-get-me-some-comfort' kind of order - the one where I wake up and think I have it oh-so-together. That's my own narrow little view of what I want order to look like in my life and I often move forward with the expectation that things will remain orderly as long as I pay attention and stay in control (mm hmm yeah). Just when I think I know what my  own kind of order is, I get reminded that it's just folly.
   This week's Diva challenge (brought to us by guest challenger, Genevieve Crabe), is to create a zendala (fusion of Zentangle and mandala). She provided a template, which is great, as the start of a zendala is often the daunting part of it. 
   As it was much too early for the sound of my printer on a Monday morning, I didn't trace the provided template, but copied it by hand with pencil on a Zentangle tile. So long, Symmetry! It was then I became aware of my lesson for the day (day/life?) about the expectation of order. Because I had already bypassed the orderly symmetry of the zendala template, I figured I might just be asking myself to let go of my expectations of order, and let something else come through. What appeared to be chaotic on my tile (as opposed to the tidy and symmetrical template provided), would be allowed for as part of the big order of things. I gave myself permission to let go of my version of what order is.
   The magic of a mandala is still there, as it goes round and round, dancing from a center point and moving outward. Letting go was just what I needed. Once my coffee kicked in and I could be with the chirping of my printer, I did print out and trace Genevieve's template. But by that time, the lesson of expectation was still working, and lots of experimenting took place. I will savor the symmetry some other day!
   Thank you Laura, great idea to have guests! Thank you, Genevieve for giving me the right exercise at the exact right time! And thanks to Maria Thomas for inspiring the lacy fun on the second tile.