Friday Fiction: Pokey Pokena

Her real name was Pokena but everyone called her Pokey.  Not only was Pokey a shortened version of her real name but it also described her personality.  Pokena was a slow-poke about everything and the ultimate procrastinator.  The sad thing was Pokey had lots of dreams and ideas - things she wanted to accomplish but never got around to starting or finishing any of them.  She was an ambitious, motivated person trapped inside a procrastinator’s body. 

One night as Pokey slept she had a dream.  In this dream she was given a grand piano by an accomplished pianist. 

“Wow!” She exclaimed.  “Thanks, I’ve always wanted a grand piano.  Now I can write songs for the world to hear.”  She had dreamt of someday writing and playing beautiful music.  She practiced on the new piano for awhile but quickly got overwhelmed by the enormity of writing for the world.  She decided to think about making a better, more detailed plan.  In the meantime she stopped playing the piano and got sidetracked with other desires. 

Some time later an artist came by and gave Pokey an art set.  It was complete with paints and canvases.  She had everything she needed to create a work of art.  This, too, had been a dream of hers - to tell the world a story with a picture.  Now she had the tools.  She could begin.  But first she needed to come up with a story to illustrate.  Pokey decided to hold off painting until she had just the right story to tell.

Then one day the doorbell rang.  It was the pianist.  “I’ve come to take the piano.”

“Why?” asked the shocked Pokena.

“Because you aren’t using it.  This is a very special instrument and it needs to be played.  The world needs music.  I will take the piano to someone else who will use it.”

“But I am going to use it.  I will make music.” She pleaded.

“When?”

“Soon.”

“It’s too late, Pokena.  Time is of the essence.  The world is an orchestra waiting to play a symphony.  It can no longer wait on you.”

“But I can’t write a whole symphony? I don’t know how to put it all together.” 

“You were never meant to write the symphony, dear.  That was your plan, not God’s.  You only needed to play your own part.”

 And with that the piano was gone.  As Pokey watched in dismay as the pianist left she noticed the artist coming up the sidewalk.  Dread filled her.

“I’ve come to take the art supplies.” He said.

“No! You can’t!  I haven’t completed my painting yet.” She cried.

“Have you started it? He asked.

“No, but I’m working on it. Really, I am.”

“I’m sorry, but I have to take the supplies away.”

“Why?” She asked already knowing the answer.

“You failed to use the gifts that were given to you.  I will take them to someone who will.  The world is a gallery housing many works of art.  The picture of your life should be on display only you haven’t created it yet. The world is waiting on a picture.”

“But I will paint for the world.  Just give me a little more time.”  She pleaded.

“You’ve already had time – time that was spent thinking about doing but not time actually doing.”

And with that, the artist, too, was gone – along with all the art supplies.

When Pokey awoke from the dream she was distraught.  Although, in reality, she did not play the piano nor did her art skills consist of anything more than stick figures.  She knew in her heart there was a message in the dream meant for her.  She examined her life and her patterns of procrastination and realized she wasn’t only putting off accomplishing many great things but she was also putting off “living”.  Pokey discovered accomplishing goals was, for her, always one day away.  The joy she could have in actually achieving her goals would never be felt unless she took action today.  Armed with this new knowledge, Pokena (as she now preferred to be called) adopted a new motto for her life: “Start Now!”  It was a simple motto but said so much.  Pokena realized if she didn’t “Start Now”, she’d never finish tomorrow.  The world would go on living without her contribution.  But that was about to change “starting now”.