The weather usually becomes work around this time of year, and that is OK because we accept it, right? It’s just that every year the work feels a little different, and it’s more in some areas and less in others. The snow feels a little ridiculous, but I don’t mind lighting fires and shoveling. You can keep the sopping wet floor mats, the puddles of melted snow on the hard wood floors. I’m getting used to being freezing in some areas of our house.
Yesterday I threw a new song I wrote on my iPod and ran out the back door, almost forgetting it was Winter. It just didn’t apply to me in that moment. I didn’t remember until I was 2 miles down past Stan Hywet hall and running in the street to avoid the messy sidewalks. It’s those tiny impulses that grow into cool moments. When the sun shines through snow covered trees how can you really care about the temperature? The air tastes too good, and the brick mansions and trees have outlasted all of us. I could bury myself in endless computer-related tasks or slip through the outer world of possibility.
My travels lately have felt the same, and it’s been really good. Every week it’s some different city with little quirks to figure out. I can see why constant change frightens people. What else can we do other than embrace it? The desk or the car or the marriage or the house becomes a prison, or another vehicle for freedom and expression. That’s a pretty heavy choice to make in the moment, and the easiest way to choose correctly is to say “oh, that? I love that. That? I chose that and I feel lucky to have that.”
Don’t get me wrong, these last few weeks have taken a lot of work to stay emotionally fit and centered. Spending time with our families and friends has really helped. I can look back at the last 2 weeks and understand that some weeks or months don’t need to be all about work. February has been about Family, which is totally fine by me. The work continues regardless, but time with the people who know us best is crucial. I feel like I’m having to grow and learn so fast these days that it’s easy to forget who I really am. Does that even make sense?
I don’t want to remember who I am only when I achieve some objective, or make a sale, finish another song, complete work for other people. I operate best when I stay aware of my individual strength and power in every moment. I take this creative force with me into every situation, and it’s bigger than my 5′11″ frame. The question is whether we’re staying clear enough to access that power. It may get spotty on some days, and that’s OK. We can’t let arbitrary stuff like the weather affect what’s most important. Despite the world and the weather and the petty tasks and challenges, we’re moving up the road.
A chunk of ice flew off the roof of a semi the other day and cracked my windshield in 7 places. It could have been much worse for sure. It’s not my job to tally the cost of fixing it, or any setbacks in time in energy, or whatever bigger disaster I may have avoided. It’s my job to let the insurance company know about it, crank the stereo louder, and get on with where I’m heading.
so many days
swing back and forth
we’re in and out of phase
with one another
baby i never mean
to ever sound bored
i’m at the mercy of the weather
different cities different traffic
different signals in the static
different stars overhead
different dreams in different beds
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You are da man KC – I love it…