The Ripple Room: Practicing Unrushed
This morning we practiced the opposite of how life often feels.
Around our shared tables—digital and physical—we played with paint, scraps, and experiments. Some stitched, some layered, some leaned into color, some into simplicity. Each person followed their own thread, and together those threads wove into something larger: a collective reminder that presence matters more than perfection.
These were all the tokens I made in an unrushed hour of community and conversation
I confessed that I’m not naturally unrushed. The school-year sprint has begun, and our new Ripple Station™ emptied quickly. Old me would have hustled to refill it. But today’s me is practicing what I preach: if the box is empty, it’s empty for a reason. I’d rather send tokens into the world with calm energy than hurried hands.
On my table: failed postcards turned into leaf tokens, scraps woven into tiny basket fronts, pastel experiments, and two quick florals scribbled in ink and water. Lots of play, zero perfection.
We kept circling back to the same reminder: it’s just paper. Try things. Seal later. Learn by doing. And above all—use what you already have before buying more.
What I loved most was the permission in the room. Not “make it right,” but make it yours.
Two participants generously shared their work afterward. Melissa posted her jewel-toned tokens layered with words of encouragement—reminders like “be amazed” and “you are enough.”
Melissa’s tokens were such a joy to look at and reminded me of how each of us brings our own stories, histories and personalities into our creations
And Kim wrote: “If you’re looking for some calm, joy, and a break from the noisy world, you won’t be disappointed.”
That’s exactly what the Ripple Room is for me, too. A reminder that when we create slowly, without pressure, we not only make art—we make space.
