On The Porch of Dreams
Lately, I have been blessed with an increasing awareness of the wisdom found in mindfulness. Amazingly, in the midst of all of my tilting at windmills and grail quests, I am starting to realize the importance of simply being in the moment and appreciating the “now.”
What-the-WHAT?!
How is this possible? I am now, and always have been, a super-driven cray-cray over-the-top creative who has been on a non-stop climb to the rarefied heights of “Mount Workaholic Creative:”
I MUST write more music!
I MUST hit the shed with that trombone!
I MUST draw those cartoons!
I MUST write a novel!
I MUST create that graphic for the next podcast!
I MUST film the next episode of You Dig!
I MUST do it all NOW! TODAY!
“What do we want?”
PATIENCE!
“When do we want it?”
NOW!!
How can it be that I am starting to dial it all back a bit and finally considering “pausing to smell the violet irises?” Is it because I’m “retired?” HELL NO! I just “graduated” from teaching at universities, my career as a creative has just BEGUN! Is it because I’m tired of the merry-go-round? HELL NO I was BORN for said high-stress amusement.
Then what is it?
I think it is the blessing of growing older and finally having found my place in the world.
When we age, if we are really fortunate, there does come a time when we are no longer trying to prove things, but instead start becoming aware of what we’ve accomplished and start thinking about nurturing said resume of content. And if we are INCREDIBLY fortunate, we get to do so with loving family and friends. In my case, it is my wonderful wife Deborah, our “sack-o-silly” golden retriever Phoebe, and my sprawling village of knucklehead stalwarts that I have been blessed with throughout the years.
Here in this picture, you can see me doing that mindful Voodoo that Idoo as of late on what I call “The Porch of Dreams.” That’s Miss Phoebe, and early morning disheveled yours truly having a picture taken by Deborah surrounded by her green thumb artistry on a typical balcony-porch here in sweet home Chicago. I’m happily working on my latest effort “Leadology Second Edition” for the upcoming new Wiestworld website.
Will these efforts make money? Will it further my lifelong grail quest to summit Mount Workaholic Creative?” Will my endeavors make me famous?
Hmmmm…
How about instead, I become more aware of the fact that I am healthy, VERY happy, deeply in love, and surrounded by beauty? And in that awareness, I take more than a moment to APPRECIATE said.
Yep… I choose THAT.
.
And I thank God for the chance to do so. 🙏❤️
