September 23, 2018: Reflections On a Summit
“The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters.” Conrad Anker
Last weekend while visiting close friends on the coast of Maine, we went for a hike up Schoodic Mountain. Research about the trail indicated it was a “moderately difficult” trail with some steep parts at the end”. We were lured with the promise of 360 degree spectacular views of the Bar Harbor Region at the summit. The trail was a challenge! The last section of the trail, which seemed to go on forever, was steep, root laden and slippery with loose gravel and rocks. An additional challenge, going up and down, is that I lack depth perception. I greatly appreciated the help and patience of my companions who gave me guidance on where to safely place my feet. The view at the top far exceeded our expectations. It was indeed spectacular. You could see Acadia National Park, Frenchman’s Bay and the surrounding land filled with brilliant blue lakes, forests and the crimson gold of blueberry fields.
This past week, I have spent many hours working on our new website. I had a vision of a new site, which was cleaner, easier for our customers to navigate and clearly showcased the uniqueness of our jewelry plus defined who we are as artists . Most importantly I wanted our website to have heart.
Much of the work was tedious. Editing descriptions, following specific steps to enter new products, cross referencing details, etc. were all part of the learning curve and process.
Like the trail with it’s unexpected vistas that popped up when we least expected to see one, there were also many moments that brought me joy.
I relished the challenge of searching for the perfect quote and description to go with the jewelry pieces. I enjoyed seeking and arranging the jewelry in the most artful way to photograph. And I loved the excitement of seeing how it went from a vision to an actual dream come true.
Like with my companions on the trail, I couldn’t have done it my self. A young, brilliant 19-year old, Owen Bick, (from Loud Canvas Media,) heard my vision , and found the ways to implement it and bring it to a reality. He has the rare combined talents of being a “techie” with a wonderfully, creative sense of design. His patience and perseverance helped to bring this dream of ours alive. I had support from others as well, giving me encouragement and support when at times, I was ready to turn back. From the testimonials customers were willing to share to the social Media advice I received, their help and support was invaluable.
My work as the “techie and writer of our team” isn’t done yet. It’ll be an ongoing process as new jewelry is created. But returning each time will be like reaching once again, the mountain summit. I am thrilled with what we’ve developed, and that we reached our goal of a website that is a work of art as well as from our hearts.
I would love to hear your thoughts on our new adventure.