Beauty in the night

Somewhere, north of where I sit, it's snowing. Elegant crystals of ice fall gently from the sky, changing the landscape from green, brown, and the oatmeal of concrete, to a sea of gentle white. The flakes are lit by the orange glow of the city. Footsteps crease pure snow, leaving an impression soon to be covered by more elegance. Whiffs of warm breaths meet the cold night air. Eyes, still new to the world, take in the wonder and the glory of this newfound thing. Landscapes change, fleetingly, yet beautifully. The silence in which the flakes is golden, calm, soothing. A fleeting moment of peace.

Here where I sit, the sky is clear, with stars dancing in the dark. The air is still, peaceful as the air filled with snow.

Three good points

I like these posts about...

• the moment being important
• a precious gift
• an interesting take on goals

About this last point--Read the quote in the middle. Now, the thought is the antithesis of the way Western society operates. We are raised to always have goals, something to strive for. But sometimes we suffer. Is it because of the striving? Maybe, I don't know. I do know it's hard for us to just be. Just be.

Kenny Werner wrote a book called "Effortless Mastery." If we have one goal, maybe it's this--our lives should be effortless, flowing.

Exam

If I am being tested, how do I know if I passed? Or failed? When? Does the test continue on?

Goosebumps in motion

The morning commute is rarely seen as a thing of joy and beauty. It's too early, you didn't eat enough breakfast, you're tired, the traffic is awful, the weather bad.

Then, there you are, driving on the turnpike, in the outer lanes, near the airport. Traffic's moving well, and you sense something different, something--beautiful, amid all the metal and the concrete. Coming around a curve, you are moving at one with the traffic, with the earth. And the goosebumps form.

And the feeling stays with you all day.

Sadness

A couple of people in my company died recently. One had cancer, and the other had a heart attack on the subway. One of these people I knew slightly; the other I'd never met. For whatever reason, I'm feeling their loss. The slight knowledge of one, and the suddeness of the other, I suppose. It's a reminder of the tenuousness, impermanence of life, and the preciousness of each moment.

This moment counts

My Cowboys are playing the Packers right now, a critical game for both. Some of the Cowboys are worried that if they lose tonight, they'll have to play a playoff game in frigid Green Bay in January. I like my team, but not this defeatist attitude. What matters is now, the game tonight. Win it, and you're fine. Lose, and you have to recover. Simple as that.

Mystery music

Sometimes, I hear lyrics in a song, and I wonder where they came from. Years ago, Austrian DJ duo Kruder & Dorfmeister put out a two-disc set called The K&D Sessions. It remains in heavy rotation for me. It's mostly chillout, downtempo, and really, really good. On the second disc, in the song "Where Shall I Turn," a woman says, whispering...

Blue light dolphin, gliding through the wave

I've never figured it out. That's fine...

Postscript--one of the best concerts I saw was K&D at Irving Plaza in New York. It started at midnight, ended at 3, and visually and sonically, unlike anything I'd seen.

Simples pleasures are the best

Yes they are...

Discovery

I'm taking on a new post, and while the advancement (and salary) are nice, that's really not why I'm doing it. It's for the knowledge and the growth, the creativity and the challenge. To do something solely for the sake of advancement would bore me. I need more than that.

This probably puts me at odds with most of the world, and that's cool. My drums beat differently. And this doesn't make me unambitious or lazy; quite the contrary. My ambitions are present, just merely in a different form.

I am not a robot. I want and need stimulation in everything I do. It is a search, a quest. Part of life.

Sign of the times...?

As Vince Lombardi was famously screamed, what the hell is going on out here? You couldn't hear about a rock bond without tales of drugs, drink, groupies and sex. There was/is a hotel in Los Angeles, the Hyatt House, that was rechristened the "Riot House," as inebriated rock stars chucked TV sets out of the hotel's windows.

Now, they are looking for yoga and organic coffee.

Is this a sign of maturation, the corporatization of rock, or the times we live in?

I'm not glorifying binges or anything, but there seems to be little interest in becoming a legend, having stories to tell. It's about being good. I'm all about being good. But I want stories to tell, too.

No. 500

A friend was said I was an eternal optimist. True, but not in the Pollyannaish, rose-colored glasses mold. It's hard-won, through trials, errors, stumbles and recoveries. I've always pulled through. That why I'm optimistic. I know what I have.

Riddim maker

Ever been on a dance floor, listening to the music, straining to find the right beat to shake your booty? But then, when the beat hits, it's magic in motion? Yep. Sure have.

Routine

Routines are good and fine, up to a point. Just make sure you give your structure space, with room to run and play, too.

Time remembered

I haven't been blogging as much lately, due to a new work assignment. My body and mind are getting used to a new regime. I hope to get onto a new schedule with the blog soon. Meanwhile, silence can be a good thing...

Dance

Like a few things, I discovered Faithless years ago in Brussels. (Some concepts barely cross the pond.) I saw their video for "We Come 1" and was amazed and mesmerized by it. Their lyrics are socially conscious, and the music is utterly danceable. A rare combination of the two. I just got three songs from their latest release, and the songs don't disappoint. Though-provoking, with grooves that beg to be move to. So you can shake all night, and have your consciousness raised.

Bothered

I have no idea who Sean Taylor was. All I know was that he played for the football team I hate, but seemed to be a guy who was getting his life in order, and was coached by a guy who could guide him along the way. And now, because of a robbery, he's dead. What a damn waste. Another young black guy gone. When will all this stop?

Seeing clear, again

Some nights, coming home from work in Brussels, I marveled at how foggy it could get there. That light orange coat that the city wore well added a layer of mystery to a place that is quirky, odd, and proudly so.

Where I am now, it's socked in with fog. Seeing it, straining to see through it, brought me back to those nights gazing out of the back of a taxi, or sticking my head out of my bedroom window, just taking it all in.

A slow seduction, indeed

A couple of months after I got to Brussels, I went to this champagne party (the hostess had a thing for the bubbly). I met a woman there who had only intended to stay in Brussels a couple of years. It was her 10th year there. I was blown away. What kind of a place was this? Where had I landed? If you're of an open mind, Brussels can pull you in. Weather, taxes, and bureaucracy be damned. I have a thing for quirky places, and Brussels fits the bill. This article shines a light on why and how that place can pull people in, and not let them go. I bet that woman is still in Brussels...

Full moon fever

I had to make a fast dash to the grocery store tonight, and as I drove out, I saw a gorgeous, huge full moon coming over the horizon. The big bright ball, and the snap of the cold air heralds the approach of winter. And heck, maybe a little snow in these parts.

More dreaming

From High Eagle:

In life, many thoughts are born in the course of a moment, an hour, a day. Some are dreams, some visions. Often, we are unable to distinguish between them. To some, they are the same; however, not all dreams are visions. Much energy is lost in fanciful dreams that never bear fruit. But visions are messages from the Great Spirit, each for a different purpose in life. Consequently, one person's vision may not be that of another. To have a vision, one must be prepared to receive it, and when it comes, to accept it. Thus when these inner urges become reality, only then can visions be fulfilled. The spiritual side of life knows everyone's heart and who to trust. How could a vision ever be given to someone to harbor if that person could not be trusted to carry it out. The message is simple: commitment precedes vision.

From Hobbes (this one, not the other):

I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time.

Goosebumps

What gives you goosebumps? A thought, a touch, a kiss? Words, music, blue skies? This quote always does it...

The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.

What are you dreaming about on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon? Something? Someone? Whatever it is, keep dreaming.

Zen and the art of giving

A very wise friend said something to me this morning about Black Friday (one of the busiest shopping days of the year)--why wait for one day to buy your gifts? If you feel the urge another day, why not go with it?

My friend is a Zen master.

Big smile, big smile

I just remembered what I was doing this time last Friday night. I was dancing at the disco in this restaurant in Brussels. It had been awhile since I danced like that. It was freeing, refreshing.

A treat pour vous

You should treat yourself every so often. You do for others, so why not give a little to yourself, right? It could be big, like some of the items on this list (Tyler Brule is an excellent writer with great sense of what is, and should be, good.) Or it could be as simple as an ice cream cone or that shirt you've be wanting. After you've given your abundance to others, give a little to yourself.

Love this quote...

From here...

“Right thoughts produce right actions
and right actions produce work that will be
a material reflection for others to see of
the serenity at the center of it all.”

~ Robert M. Pirsig

Star light, star bright

There's usually one day where the wind comes howling in, blowing the falling leaves this way and that, heralding the approach of the winter. Tonight, it came. The wind brought a little rain in, and now the skies are clear. I stood out under a moonlit sky, staring out at the stars, and looked for guidance as the journey continues along.

Good night.

Thank you

Today is the fourth Thursday in November. It is warm, unusually so. The leaves are still on the trees, bright with glowing reds and yellows. Families are out riding bikes, playing tennis, soccer and football. It' a good day.

We should give thanks everyday, not just one special day. Everyday is special. We need to treat them as such.

The map

I love this simple, yet powerful, message. Life doesn't come with a roadmap. You have to feel your way through it.

Wisdom in the air

If you ever find yourself on a long flight, you're better off bringing your own diversions--an iPod, a book, a journal. Anything to save you from reading the inflight magazine or the SkyMall catalog.

Now, saying that, you can find a gem in that catalog. Successories has a couple of pages of motivational items in there. Most find them treacly. There's one I saw on the way to Brussels that spoke volumes to me.

"He failed in business in '31. He was defeated for state legislator in '32.He tried another business in '33. It failed. His fiancee died in '35. He had a nervous breakdown in '36. In '43 he ran for congress and was defeated. He tried again in '48 and was defeated again. He tried running for the Senate in '55. He lost.The next year he ran for Vice President and lost. In '59 he ran for the Senate again and was defeated. In 1860, the man who signed his name A. Lincoln, was elected the 16th President of the United States. The difference between history's boldest accomplishments and its most staggering failures is often, simply, the diligent will to persevere."

Waypoint

Six months ago, I started blogging. I didn't know what I was in for, or where I would be going on this journey. And the journey hasn't been dull. I've been tested in ways I've never been tested before. Asked questions I never thought. Got answers I never saw coming. Been to dark places, and expelled the darkness from me. Realized new things, re-realized old things. Questioned myself and questioned others. Rediscovered the depths of my heart, spirit, soul. Saw highs, saw lows. Been brought low, stood back up.

What will the next six months bring? I don't know. And I'm looking forward to the unknown. It scares me, the uncertainty, the unknown. But I have to continue into the forest, to see what is there.

The light fantastic

If you can't dance on a dancefloor, can you dance at your desk? And what music is playing in your head? Oakenfold? Tiesto?

It's always sunny in Brussels

No matter the weather, it's fine in Brussels. Sun, or cold, gray leaden skies. The city means a lot to me because I grew up and moved forward in the three years I was there. It showed me there was a huge world outside of what I previously knew. I am grateful for the time I spent there. I am grateful for each trip I take back there.

Let this be a lesson to you

If you go to Brussels for the weekend like I did, you better be ready to handle the jet lag. Woooo momma, it's hitting me now. My body has caught up with me. But was it worth it? In a word, yes. Brussels is like an old pair of jeans to me. They fit well, even after a year of not wearing them. It was bright and cold there, unusual for that place. But, that place is unusual, quirky, a little mysterious. And enchanting and special.

I'm back

I've returned from my sojourn, a little jet-lagged, but refreshed. Details and photos will come soon.

From a master

I've got a million dreams. That's all I do is dream.

--Duke Ellington

Helping hand

Take my hand, gently, and feel my strength, my soul, coursing through it. Let me take your hand, gently, and I will feel your strength, your soul, coursing through it.

Get the Led out

Apple and iTunes have seen their way clear to add Led Zeppelin to the catalog. Praise be. I can listen to "Immigrant Song" guilt-free now. But the big one I waited for was "Kashmir." It's epic, operatic, and gives me the chills. The lyrics are as expansive as the land of Kashmir itself...

Oh let the sun beat down upon my face, stars to fill my dream
I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been
To sit with elders of the gentle race, this world has seldom seen
They talk of days for which they sit and wait and all will be revealed

Timing

Timing in life is important. Sometimes we stumble, but that's fine. We get up and keep moving. The timing of this post is good.

Detachment

Many things I've been able to let go of, but this one thing, it's hard to. What will it transform into? Something special?

Two birds

This evening, I can fulfill two dreams. One is to run away across an ocean to another land. The other is to carry someone, in my heart, across that ocean.

Bingo

I just figured something out. I knew it innately, but the thing has reached my consciousness. It explains a lot of things. It explains why I persist. It explains why I persevere. It explains my actions.

Now, what will I do with it?

Revelations are indeed revelatory.

Eat

Why eat foie gras, beef carpaccio and truffle oil? Because I can.

Run away

Why run away? Why retreat to some far-off land? To advance.

The Tao of the iPhone

I was in the coffee shop this morning, looking at the MacBook I had to buy for a buddy, when it caught my eye. Ok, let's get it. So up to the Apple Store I went, and walked out with the MacBook and iPhone. I've spent much of the afternoon getting it up and running, putting contacts, music and video in, setting bookmarks and generally marveling at the machine.

And then, it hit me. As fetching a talisman of the age as it is, it's hardly a substitute for what is truly important in life. This thing I hold in my hand, it's a nice gift. But greater gifts are waiting to be given, and received.

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My spirit and my heart feel incredibly strong, and at the same time, incredibly light.

"I love the journey"

I heard L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson say that this morning in a radio interview, in relation to the soap opera with Kobe Bryant.

Yes. While the storms life may bring seem daunting, overwhelming, you must be on the journey. And you must love to be there, for the lessons to be learned, and the treasure that awaits at the end.

Visions

This morning, I meditated. To calm me, to soothe me. To feel peace.

I could feel my heart, weakened by darkness and anger inside me, lift, become stronger. Overcome the worst parts of my soul. Overcome the sadness and the hurt.

Then, I felt a vision come over me. I was standing under a starred-filled sky. I reached into my body and removed my heart. I then lifted it above my head, towards the heavens, a sacrifice, an offering to the Great Master. I gave it willingly, freely, joyfully. There was joy in my soul, joy in my heart.

Thank you.

Closer to the heart

My heart and I are allies. We both know what we want and need.

My heart beats strong. It is an active seeker.

My heart holds joy and happiness, and wants to release it.

My heart always wants to bear the fruits of faith, hope and love.

My heart sometimes bears fruits that don't reflect its true nature.

My heart forgives, and seeks forgiveness.

My heart mourns for what it has lost.

My heart yearns to give, to receive, to love.

My heart seeks to always grow.

My heart keeps me awake at night.

My heart is always strong.

My heart risks, loses, and gets up and keeps trying.

My heart continues to risk.

My heart wants to turn failure into success.

My heart perseveres.

My heart is expansive, it wants to remain open.

My heart sometimes runs wild.

I sometimes wish I could tame my heart, calm it, soothe it.

I ask God to stay with my heart.

My heart wants so little, and yet, so much at the same time.

My heart pierces the fog that lies silently over the morning.

My heart is strong through sun and rain.

My heart seeks.

My heart leads me.

Rough stuff

I don't want to face adversity for the sake of adversity. But if it comes, I want to take the lessons from it. Life makes for an interesting, expansive classroom.

Life

I am interested in books by Paulo Coelho, the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching and others because I am interested in life. Even at my age, there remains much to learn. I want to learn it. I will make mistakes. I want to question the mysteries of life. I want to become the better part of myself. I want to give that better part to someone, to anyone who will take it.

There's nothing wrong with knowing you need to learn more.

Uplifting

If you have not read the works of Paulo Coelho, you must. They are simply good, warm food for the soul.

Lost, and found

Lost--a sense of play, of childhood wonder. Last seen very close to me. I know it's here somewhere. I can hear the music playing in my head. I can see the images right in front of me. I can see the rain fall, and the snow dance. Ahh, there it is. Come here. Let's go.

Communing with God

Great master, hear my prayer.

Help me tame my desires. Help me to want less. Help me to set down my burdens. Help me to overcome my failures. Help me to overcome my losses. Help me become my better self. Help me to see it. Help me to live it. Forgive me for my weaknesses. Forgive me, for I have harmed others. Help me to heal them. Help me to give them strength. Help me to see the strength that lies inside me.

Entry

My wants, my desires, have pushed away someone close to me. I pray for their return. I pray for stillness inside me. I pray for forgiveness.

A riddle

How does one capture a beautiful bird without harming it? Answer: By becoming the sky.
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How do I become the sky?

To the edge

I ran out tonight and bought "Warrior of the Light" by Paulo Coelho. I needed a lift after a difficult weekend. I've been flipping through it all night, searching for strength and calm words as failure revisits me.

One passage rings familiar...


The Warrior of the Light unwittingly takes a false step and plunges into the abyss.

Ghosts frighten him and solitude torments him. His aim had been to fight the Good Fight, and he never imagined that this would happen to him, but it did. Shrouded in darkness, he makes contact with his master.

"Master, I have fallen into the abyss," he says. "The waters are deep and dark."

"Remember one thing," replies his master. "You do not drown simply by plunging into the water, you only drown if you stay beneath the surface."

And the Warrior uses all his strength to escape from his predicament.

Do I have the strength to swim, and not drown?

It's raining now. Maybe the rain can wash me clean, and make me whole again.

Oddsmaker

My destiny, my journey, may put me at odds with the wants and needs and desires of the rest of society. That's fine. My heart is pure, it understands its true needs, its true gifts. Someone out there understands this as well.

Shaken, stirred, strong

The confidence I have in myself is not unshakable. It can be shaken, often to the core. The one thing that it is, is unbreakable. I won't allow it to be broken.

In the silence of an afternoon

I believe that this is my destiny.

This is why I am here.

Hear my prayer

All I want in life is to give of myself. I have too much inside of me to keep it in. I want to release it to the world, to give it to one special woman. To give my love, my heart, my soul, my spirit, this is all I want to do, all I want in life. What good are tangible, material things when compared to these? To give these gifts to someone...I would give up anything to give these beautiful gifts.

Hear my prayer.

Thank you

I walked outside tonight, into the cold air, looked up at the stars, and said thank you. Questions have been posed, and divinely, questions have been answered. Waves have been building, and waves have been ridden. It has been an enlightening weekend.

The third wave came

I spend a cold, sunny afternoon with some good friends, and I really appreciate them coming down for a visit. We talked about life, ate, talked, drank wine, talked, drank beer. One of my friends gave me, in addition to a lucky charm, a card with a beautiful, uplifting inscription. There was a quote on the front, about perseverance, not giving up. It's from the original British Bulldog...

"If you're going through hell, keep going..."

Style point

You don't have to showboat to make a point. The Cowboys' Patrick Crayton scored a touchdown, but he didn't run into the endzone, grab a cellphone, plant a flag, or pull out a Sharpie (though it was very creative), as soon as the ball crossed the goal line, he planted it on the field and walked away. Simple, elegant, economical. Point taken, point received. And the Cowboys won.

Waves

I've had waves come over me this weekend: waves of desire, waves of anger. What will be next?

To sleep, perchance...

When the dust of the day settles out, the ghosts of the night appear.

A short compendium

Of thoughts...

women and men
love and desire
aloneness

That's all for now...

Open

My eyes, my heart, my soul, my spirit stay open to the possibilities life has to offer.

No fishing

Bait pulled out of the water
Sails raised to the sky
The wind carries me on

Fences

There are times where I sit, lay back, and take what is given to me. But there are other times where I poke, probe, prod, persist. Challenge. Not out of spite, or anger, or fear, or not being able to leave well enough alone. My aim is never to cause heartache, for myself or others. I want to see where things can go. Where I can take myself. What my boundaries are.

The greatest question

How can someone love someone they rejected? How can someone love the person who rejected them? Through the rejection, pain, hurt, and disappointment? The love that these two people carry for the other in their hearts must be extraordinary. No one is taking advantage of the other. It's pure, and both see it as such. They have touched each other deeply. What kind of love is this? A special kind of love? Through the ups and down and disappointments, it should be nurtured and cherished, with a dash of hope and faith. And wondered at, like a child watching snow fall from the sky.

Swimming pool

I never learned to swim, but I write a lot about water and the act of moving in it. Water seems to have a freeing effect--unbound by the weight of gravity, you can move with ease and comfort. That's what I seek. I want to move, think, act, be, free. Naturally.

Hot

Sometimes, I have a tendency to put my hand on a hot stove, knowing full well it's hot.

Ice

A beautiful, cold winter's day. You stand on the edge of a frozen lake. A hundred yards away, an island. A retreat. A foot steps tentatively on the ice. the other follow. Step, step. Then, the sound of a crack from below you. You look down, and a slight crack appears. What do you do now?

Water baby

I want to swim in the pool of bliss, contentment, peace, passion, love, mystery and wonder. I want to wrap it around me, and the people I care about, like a sweater, or blanket, and feel its warmth.

No particular place to go

I'm on holiday next week, and I have no specific plans. I had a similar break earlier in the year, and being footloose and fancy-free is nice. I might go here, or here, or heck, here too. These guys run specials, maybe I'll check them out. A midweek getaway? We'll see where the wind takes me.

Mysterioso

As adults, we sometimes forget the best of our childhoods. When we were babies, we don't know the world, so we have a wonderment as to what that shiny thing is, who are these people making goofy faces, what's that white stuff on the ground on the other side of that clear thing. Somewhere along the line, we lose a sense of mystery and wonder of this thing called life. We end up doing it by rote after a while.

Life is too precious to be without wonder and mystery, the whys and hows. We should crawl through it like kids at a playground, discovering what's new, fresh and exciting. Even in the mundane and everyday.

Camping trip

In the Boy Scouts, there's this principle which states that you should leave something better than when you first found it. Meaning? If you go to a campsite, you should try to make it better for the next group to come in--leave no trace, make natural improvements without destroying it, hike you trash out and any left over from earlier forays. That's a good rule for life. Before you leave this mortal coil, help somebody out. It doesn't always have to be a grand gesture, but it ought to be something. Something to benefit somebody else, lift them up higher. And give yourself a boost in the bargain.

Interlude

A friend once told me they didn't have the strength that I had. Nonsense, I said. This person gave me enormous reservoirs of strength I hadn't opened my eyes to. I am thankful for being given something so extraordinary.
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No matter what takes in my life, good or bad, my nature is such now that I always try to find the center.

Buddy up

One night a couple of years ago, I was driving, and got caught in the worst fog I'd ever been in. Literally, I could barely see out of my window. I had slowed to a crawl. Up ahead, I saw another car, whose driver had smartly turned on their hazard lights. Needing to latch on to something to stay safe, I turned on my flashers, and tucked in behind that car, making it to the intersection and a lot less fog.

At certain points in life we all need a buddy to slice through the fog life blows in. Someone to latch onto with their lights on to guide you through. And then, you can lead the way for someone else who needs a bright light in the pea soup.

Morning constitutional

Despite the rain, despite the cold, a mother in my neighborhood takes her baby out in the stroller for a morning walk. Just the sound of feet hitting the wet pavement, wheels rolling, and the rain to wash the earth clean.

After midnight serenade

In the middle od the night, I heard this rhythmic beating outside. I thought, geez, who's playing their stereo this late? I got up, looked out the window--ah, nature's beatbox, rain. I'll let it lull me back to dreamland.

Keep 'em rollin', baby

When I play needs to be made, I want Jason Witten to make it...

A simple idea

From way back in time...

“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.” -Babe Ruth

Seeing again

I'll never look at a glass of water in quite the same way again...

Go ahead

Check the quote here from Roger Walsh. This is what I did last weekend. We all need to do this every so often.

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.