Now I lay me down to sleep

I hate being tired. I know I have to rest, recharge and replenish. But at times I feel like I can go on forever, like the Energizer Bunny. I feel younger than the calender suggests. The calendar can fib, sometimes. The heart and soul know.

Songbook

Every good picture needs a soundtrack. Take these songs, and play them in your head.

God's own hand

A gorgeous fall day, somewhere on the East Coast...

Tampa 2

Today, the biggest game in the history of mankind will be played. Ok, that may be overstating things. But the New England Patriots vs. the Indianapolis Colts is a huge deal. The two best teams in the NFL, both undefeated, head-to-head, and the winner will likely be in Arizona in February.

Though I think the Pats will win today (their offense is rocket-powered), that doesn't lessen my admiration for Tony Dungy, the Colts' coach. He's one of the few black coaches in the league, has a Super Bowl title, and devised a defense that most teams in the league utilize. And he's developed a coaching tree comparable to legendary San Francisco coach Bill Walsh. All without being the stereotypical head coach--hard-driving, irascible, motivating by fear. He's a nice guy in a profession that doesn't mint nice guys. The thing I admire about him is that he knows himself, and with everything that is going on and swirling about him, he remains true to his core. His sense of himself is strong. He loves football, but it's not the only thing to him.

He's simply a good man. And a great coach.

Somewhere down the lazy river

This is what a Sunday should be--a crisp, beautiful fall day. A cup of coffee. A paper. And moving with the river of life.

Food for thought

Not only do the soul and spirit need nourishment, but the body, too.

There was a stretch last month when food tasted better than it had in awhile. For four days, I ate so well, it was like I was in a dream. The best burger, the best soft-shelled crabs, the best lamb, the best fried macaroni, the best breakfast. Ok, they may not have been the world's best, but my taste buds know good when they feel it.

Why was it so good? Again, I don't care. I needed it. My soul needed it.

Move me

This morning, I was listening to "Rhapsody in Blue" off jazz pianist Marcus Roberts' CD. I've been listening to this thing for 10 years. But something happened today that's never happened before. There is a section in the piece about 3/4 of the way in with a big flourish (one of the more famous sections of the song). When the piece came, I was moved to tears. I don't know why, and I don't care--it felt so good.

A couple of days ago, I received a picture from a friend. This photo, in its sheer, incredible beauty, moved me, too. Stirred me up and filled me with an incredible lightness and desire. It floated me, carrying me off to the place of this beauty.

The soul knows what it needs to not only sustain itself, but to nourish it, feed it, grow. You may not know, but that's fine. Your soul finds the way to move. To be moved in these ways, and more, is such sweet joy.

Grace in the sun

In my new commuting pattern, I pass by a major airport, and I never fail to catch a glimpse of a plane coming in or heading out for a destination mundane or exotic. Wistful at the thought of where I can go. One moment from last week lingers in my mind...On the way home, I saw a 747 gliding into the airport against the backdrop of the sitting sun. The big jet looked stately, graceful, elegant as the light faded and it lowered itself onto the runway. I see that picture so clearly; it was a beautiful moment...

Whatever you do

In the hurly-burly of life, sometimes you forget to breath. Wait, stop--you're always breathing, I know that. I mean breathing deeply and exhaling deeply. Consciously. Watch your breathing for a few moments, and you can feel yourself becoming calm and focused. Then you can move forward.

Warm me up

It's gotten chilly here lately, and with my early mornings, I've had to rely on my car's heater to warm me. As a wave of warm air hit me yesterday, a thought also got to me--I'd junk everything in a heartbeat, move to the Caribbean, write from a hut on the beach, and if I had to, subsist on coconuts. And some company too. And, heck, a hammock. It brings to mind a question--what do you truly need in life? Though they are fascinating, I don't want to be a mercenary. I want love, warmth, caring, sunshine (a dash of rain to keep things lively)--things you can't buy.

Teach me something

Whether we realize it or not, we are teaching at any moment. Showing our friends, children, loved ones, how to be the best they can, how to have fun, how to relax, how to be. We give those lessons freely, and we take them in freely as well.

Hot bodies

One afternoon this week, while heading home, I saw one of these.

Tonight, while driving around, I saw one of these.

I don't know how, but a beautiful woman and a hot car always make me stop and stare. The eye and the mind are naturally attracted to beauty. The reaction is so visceral, so raw.

A sunny twist

On the edge of the river, overlooking that roiling cauldron of humanity, I said thank you. I had something unexpected land in my lap this morning, and I didn't really see it coming. I think I'm ready for it. The doubts will come, but the challenge is too tempting to pass up.

Rewind

Remember my meditation on passion? All the things that passion can be? I've been thinking about what love is. And everything passion can be, love can be. If I'm wrong, please tell me. I wanna know...

Move your hand

The next time you're near water, bend down, and lightly run your hand across the top surface. Watch the ripple spread out of the center. Know that even though you're at the surface, your movements run deep below.

Crime story

Friendship can sometimes be tested, strained, if only to see how deep it truly is. Friendships have many mothers, too. Here's a question--can a friendship be forged after one guy put out a hit on another? The one-word answer--yes...

Enjoy the silence

I was trying to listen to the radio just now, and I couldn't. The voices were too jarring, I had to turn it off. For awhile now, I've been scared of silence, scared of what the stillness might tell me. That it may say things to me I knew, but didn't what to hear. The silence, the stillness, feels good now.

Anyone home?

While driving to work this morning, I realized something (again)--you have to be attuned to what is going on around you, be it driving, in a meeting, having dinner with someone. You have to be there.

Full up

Ages ago, I took a graphic design class. And despite the projects I did, I only remember two things from it. One was that everything depends on everything else. On a page, all the elements have to fit together. If one element is off, the entire page is upset. It's a good rule to remember for life.

The other was that the teacher didn't want his students to be little brown jugs, only receiving information, and not interacting. It made sense then, but now I wonder, shouldn't our jugs be empty to receive? Can we truly receive if we are constantly interacting? I'm not saying interacting is bad--it's good. But you can't fill yourself up when you're full.

Carry on

Once upon a time, a friend called me a strong person. I really appreciate this person saying this. But really, all I can do is all I can do. There are times I wobble--after all, I am human. But if the center is strong, the center can show the way back to squares.