When I was a kid, I was in a hurry to do everything. When my Mom taught me to sew, I just couldn’t see the point of all that pinning and basting — why not just cut the fabric, slap it under the needle and let ‘er rip?

So every once in a while, Mom would eye me taking a short cut she’d prefer I not take. She’d just go about her business reciting “the poem”. You know… the one that goes:

If a task is once begun,
Never leave it ’til it’s done.
Be the labor great or small,
Do it well or not at all.

To this day, I can’t take a shortcut on anything. If I even think about it, that little ditty starts rolling around in my head, I can’t sleep at night and keep looking over my shoulder.

Thanks, Mom. I miss you.