Many of us have used this phrase.  It has a great deal of meaning.  However, while painting a room in our home, I stood and looked back at the first wall I had applied paint to and noted the color change from the wet, to the partially wet, not quite dry, and completely dry colors.  The shades were different.  It was subtle, but it was there. 

Maybe it was the lighting on this bright day.  I had all the windows open because the curtains were down.  Maybe it was the Christian music playing in the background as I worked that made me more contemplative.  Nonetheless, paint drying had a lesson to teach.  

Things are different as you start a task, proceed through the various stages of it, and finally reach completion.  Never judge a job before you finish it.  All you will have is discouragement. Often, I have partially completed projects. When I delay completing a task, it seems that I never get back to it.

My wife and I bought our current home on a bridge loan. This is a short-term mortgage that allows up to a year to avoid paying a second payment while you sell the old property. Our new home had nothing that needed to be done before we moved in. The old house was full of unfinished tasks.

I repaired windows, flooring, ceilings, and more than I can remember at this time. That was after we moved twenty years of accumulated possessions to our new home. Six months later, we were still trying to sell it. Our agent helped us place a price, and we had one offer that was then canceled when we failed an inspection.

We repaired everything on his list and received another offer. This one is for less than the first one. We countered, and the buyer accepted the counteroffer, which was still not at our asking price and included other repairs. I finished the few simple changes they wanted and closed the deal.

I did not spend any time watching paint dry while working on this project. After twenty years in this house, we have made some repairs and changes, and these include painting. I still think back to that time when I noticed the color variations and have confirmed this process with every paint job we’ve tackled.

Life is full of constant changes, some setbacks, and some advancements. Keep going and try something new tomorrow. You never know what you can do until you try. Step out of your comfort zone and see what world-changing observations you can make while you watch paint dry.

©Copyright 2026 by Charles Kensinger