Whenever I get interrupted, my first response is, “Oh no!” But inevitably, I’m glad afterwards. And I never can guess why.

When I was hanging my show in DC, there was a fire in the building. “RONK RONK RONK” – that penetrating sound. I think: “Is this a joke?” No. We all, all in this huge building, have to take the stairs down and exit. Now I’m thinking,”What about my art?” Good grief. So, we head out and stand in the wind and pouring rain. And there I get to meet some of the fascinating people who work in the space that the gallery is the entrance to; the people who will be walking past my art, perhaps with many other Washingtonians, in the next few months.

And they are – yes, fascinating. They spend their days dealing with nuclear safety, preserving the oceans … big matters. And this is my chance to chat with them. Thanks to the interruption.

Then, at the end of this week – a dental issue came up for me. Suddenly, I need to take time away for a trip to Boston. Not planned. What I got was – yes, a visit with my dentist – but then, I end up bumping into friend after friend. Chance encounters in the neighborhood that I spent 33 years of my life. Sweet hugs.

So, as I turned in my driveway, back up here in NH, I had this image: of me in this teeny-tiny pond. Great for focus, for my art. But out there in the “big world”/big pond, there are so many more fish. It can feel good to spend time in that big pond. With others.

So lucky – I was – to be interrupted.