Life is a fractal

It seems that life truly is a fractal. If we accept this axiom, then all wisdom, regardless of its origin, becomes universal.

When I first started sewing, I was determined to avoid mistakes at all costs, fearing I would “ruin” the fabric and the effort I had put into it. There was always an undercurrent of anxiety with every cut and every edge passed under the sewing machine.

However, something has shifted within me over the past few weeks. “Mistakes lead you to wonderful, new places,” I often tell my music students when they become frustrated after missing a note or a beat. Why not apply this philosophy to sewing? I wondered.

I replaced the frustration of unmet expectations with the curiosity of discovering where that “mistake” might lead me—and wow, what a revelation!

Where does the error (the unexpected) take us? To wonder, to new experiences, possibly even to where we truly need to go. These moments are like forks in the road, subtly guided by a higher intelligence.

What else transforms when one adopts this perspective? For me, sewing has become a pleasant and adventurous activity, regardless of the outcome, rather than a source of anxiety and pressure.

Each of the strips in the first photo represents “a fork in the road”—let’s not call them mistakes anymore. Today, for the first time, I embraced these strips with love.

The next step: applying this mindset to my personal life. May I find the ability to gaze with fascination at where the unexpected leads me? Let’s see!