It was a day. There had been many days before this. There will be many days to come. This day felt unusually overwhelming. The dishes overflowed the sink. The laundry basket no longer closed. The clutter of life was all around. The plans and projects - they were hiding in the debris. She sat down heavily in her chair. The scraps and bits were scattered all across the floor. Every piece was important. Each beautiful thread was needed to weave the tapestry that was half formed in her mind. On this day, it was all there in the tangle of confusion. Her children and friends had run through the bits and pieces, and scattered them in an uncoordinated jumble on the floor. Then the chase was on as the dogs and cats romped in and scattered the bits some more. She had tried to meditate to get a handle on it all, but the familiars and guides were more interested in dancing in the pretty scraps.
So, she sat there and contemplated the wreckage of her life. Then she heard it. Just a small voice: "Get a cup of tea. Take a walk."
Taking the step back allowed her mind to clear. She could see the beauty in the clutter of her life. With the quiet voice in her ear, a picture developed in her mind. With this picture as a guide, carefully picked up each piece and organized it according to its place in her new tapestry. One piece at a time, she turned the clutter of the old into a resource for the new. One piece at a time, one thread at a time, each in its turn would be woven into the new tapestry.
One day at a time, the pattern in her mind took shape. The tapestry stabilized and the beautiful new picture came to life.