Dead Lines

When the boys where younger we took them and of course each had a friend to a Civil War reenactment near Camp Sumter in Andersonville, Ga.  In case you did not know the "camp" was one of the largest Confederate military prisons during the Civil War.  The amount of time and energy that was used for the reenactment is mind boggling.  After we had our fill of the reenactment we then headed over to the cemetery and the "camp".  Upon first glance you would notice a park like setting with a trickle of a steam running thru it.... that is where the "camp" was located.  My husband and I read and explain to the boys what the conditions where like here at the "camp".  How cramped together the men where, the terrible living conditions, and unfortunately the number of men that did not make it out alive.  It is then .... when you looked around a second time at the setting that you notice a shade of grey surrounding it and a feeling of sadness.  I thought it was interesting that the boys one impression of the camp was about the "Dead Line".  This was the line for the solders to use  if a prisoner crossed it ... they where shot.  No questions asked, just cut and dry.  I thought about our trip and the "Dead Line" the other day while packing some things in my sewing room.  I was thinking about how different the "Dead Line" was for those solders and prisoners as compared to our deadlines that we have in our lives.  Some are more important for us to achieve and others can be merely extended.  I have so many unfinished projects that they seemed to be holding a shade of grey over me.  I am not going to give myself a deadline for these projects.  But I am going to work on them two nights during the week.  Just think about how a deadline sometimes make you feel - are you the prisoner or the soldier?  I have decided that I do not want to be either one ..... I want my projects to shine with a positive light ........... not a feeling of grey.