EASY DOES IT BUT DO IT

"He who hesitates is lost." 

~ Joseph Addison ~

If we drag our feet indecisively for too long

Trying to save ourselves from every potential pitfall in advance,

Then it's likely someone else may come along

And take what we've been after

In a flash-

Leaving us "holding the bag" so to speak:

Full of all our thoughts and worries and visions...

With nowhere now 

to spend them.

I deliberate briefly, and then take action. 

THE RIGHT CHOICE

"Instinct selects the best method first."

~ James Lendall Basford ~

Often, we know our choice intuitively right away,

But then we second guess ourselves, and check,

And re-check,

Until we have tried out all the possible options,

And thoroughly convinced ourselves,

That the first choice 

remains

the right one. 

I trust my spontaneous intuitive knowing. 

OVER WHEN IT'S OVER

"The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too."

~ Teresa of Avila ~

Sometimes we're ready to be done with a project,

But it's not ready to be done with us. 

There's a process that has to play out,

Steps to be taken,

Emotions felt.

It's not for us always

To say when we're ready 

Or complete.

It's over when it's over,

And not 

a second 

before. 

Whether I like it or not, I'm a part of the process. 

GRUFF'S BACK

"Duck! Here comes another day!"

~ Charles Schulz ~

Four years ago at this time, we were anticipating my husband's total spinal reconstruction surgery.

His Doctor called me personally and spoke to me for 20 minutes to be sure I understood

That this was a big deal-

A 12 hour surgery, with multiple blood transfusions and an uncertain result.

The recovery would be long.

The physical limitations permanent.

We needed to prepare ourselves.

And then we got through it with more grace than seemed possible...

And then we moved to Montana,

And then we moved to New Mexico,

And then we moved back to Virginia and took on the recovery and renovation

Of this unbelievably beautiful farm,

And then we discovered it was too much,

So now it's for sale,

And here we are-

Carried somehow all the way through this grand adventure,

And nonetheless lacking in trust 

For whatever may lie ahead.

I have faith in life's surprising blessings. 

HOW MUCH DO WE OWE?

"Dare to be honest."

~ Robert Burns 

It pays to be fresh and authentic.

And it costs dearly to piggy back on someone else's dream.

I follow my own True North. 

MEANING MAKING MACHINES

"If we refuse to pray until we can elucidate the mystery of prayer, we are as foolish as a man would be who would shut off the rain from his garden until he understands the balancing of clouds."

~ Will Rogers ~

Why is it that we seem driven to make sense of things?

We want to know, "Why?"

And, "Why not?"

And, "What happened?"

And, "What does it mean?"

We are meaning making machines,

Expending endless effort trying to "figure things out"

When no amount of figuring will solve the problem

Because fundamentally, there is no problem-

Only mystery,

And experience,

And an inability to trust what we cannot understand. 

I am rich with the mysteries of ongoing daily experience.

BUGS IN NUMBERS

 "We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics."

~ Bill Vaughn ~

Around here, tis the season of Stinkbugs and Ladybugs-

"Stinky Bugs" as my friend called them earlier today...

And much as they are an annoyance,

They also command a certain respect,

For their tenacity,

And resilience,

And toughness,

And strategy,

And strength in numbers approach to life.

Nature teaches me great things and small things too, so I've learned to pay attention.