Hope.

When the fairy dust of hope sprinkles herself over my eyes and I being to feel the familiar tingles of a new idea break in me like the dawn of a new day, I can hardly remember when I DIDN'T feel this way.

And when in a darker mood, wiping the mud from the splattered tires of someone else's bad mood out of my eyes, spitting it out of my mouth, I can hardly remember when I didn't feel THAT way.

Feelings!

We were in Missiouri, Texas and Ilinois for music over the last few weeks. If we fly and have to rent a car, we get a big one so if there's a fun field trip, we can drive. Think: 6 grownups in a car headed to breakfast! Or the lake! Or even Walgreens! Plus at least a couple of guitars. It's like high school, only no has to sit on anyone else's lap. And when our favorite song comes on the radio, everyone sings in harmony.

The car we got this time was a giant Toyota 4-Runner. Each time I got behind the wheel, it took a conscious effort to synchronize my normal sense of self with the massive size of the car. Just reaching the pedals was a full-time job. Getting gas, changing lanes, parking? It took all we'd got. So much so that we ignored the integrated navigation system.

If we are simply vehicles for our spirits, then the way we feel is our integrated navigation system. But when it takes everything we've got just to operate, our feelings get short shrift. And it doesn't take long from there to feel like you can't feel anything at all.

Feelings.

Ray Bradbury, one of my favorite authors since High School, said "You must never think at the typewriter - you must feel."

Nurturing a daily creative practice within a busy life has been my saving grace. Feeling my way though, one word, one note, one brush stroke at a time is the one truly reliable, almost magical path back to wholeness that I have ever found.

As we embark upon year eight of Haiku Milieu and year six of the Sunday newsletter, I will keep asking to be shown the extraordinary in the everyday. And I will also invite the grace to listen to and trust my built-in navigation system - my feelings - especially when I am "too busy." 

How do I feel right now, you ask?  Well, let me tell you. I feel excited and even more, GRATEFUL to be on this journey with you.

I'd love to know how you are feeling. Drop me a line and let me know.