The Picture and the Nail*

It's not easy. It's never easy. Taking the picture off your wall. The picture you are used to. The first thing you see when you walk in. The last thing you see when you close the door.

And you will remember how confused you were the first time you had it in your hands. Where should you put it? Above the fireplace, so that even when the fire was out you could still seek warmth by looking at it? Or by the window? Or in the hallway? And then naturally you just took a hammer and a nail. And a few cheerful poundings later later it's there. For you to see, look, gaze, admire, adore, and take comfort in.

Little did you realize that when the time comes to take it off the wall, you will also have to pull the nail out. You just can't use it to hang another picture. And the nail would leave a bigger hole. And your wall will never be the same again.

It's not easy. It's never easy. But it's not impossible.



* a credit to marianne for the inspiration