Hey friends, how are you? How is your spirit? Is it at play, or is it suffering, or have you even checked in with yourself lately? Are you getting enough water and sunshine?

I tell you what, for my answers: Yes, to all of the above and then some. It’s a grand mix, and I adore every detail.

Inspiration abounds. I’d love to share some beauty and goodness with you, but first I’d like to real quick establish what the word recreation has come to mean to me and also mention a concept about the stream of well being.

Recreation, by modern definition, is, “refreshment by some means of pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like; a pastime, diversion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment.” The word’s Latin origin points to “restoration and recovery.” This is fine and great. I bet we usually accept recreation to be play, and in America maybe a certain type of play, and maybe most commonly, whatever can be squeezed into a weekend or weeklong vacation. I think it must legally include hot dogs, organized sports, or at least matching outfits and group photos. I’m mostly kidding, but my point is that it can be a trap to chase R&R in the social sense. It doesn’t have to be like anyone else’s, and it doesn’t have to be relegated to weekends and rare vacation time. I like to look at the word and see that its root is create.

The elements that create me, who I am deep down, are probably somewhat different from the elements that create you, despite our basic similarities as human beings. Anyway, when we get ourselves to a dangerous level of depletion, either pysically or spiritually, and we feel the need to build ourselves up again, to re-create ourselves, I hope we look for more than what we think should help, more than what everyone else is doing habitually. I hope we tap into gleaming instinct and wisdom to pursue the things we know are nutritious and long lasting.

The DNA of our personalities or souls, or however you like to call the invisible essence of you, is precious and God-given. Let’s not settle for only rest or only mind-numbing comfort; let’s encourage each other to seek replenishment of the very best stuff of life.

Okay.

And now some quick thoughts on, “Well Being is the only stream that flows.”

There is a philosophy which says that our sense of well being is always available to us, and we have control over how much we experience it in life. That we are not so much in a maelstrom of warring energy fields like good versus evil; rather, we are in control of our own access to Love. We either allowing Love to flow freely or we are not allowing it. Similar endings to the story, but very different ways to get there. This was hard for me to see when I forst read about it, and it’s still hard for me to swallow at moments when I am exactly the reason why I am not feeling my best, ha! But the more I experiment with it, the more true it feels. At the very least, it’s a great touchstone for asking myself whether I am suffering over something by an outside arttack or by choice, and how can I adjust my perspective to experience life differently? Am I consciously or unconsciously damming up the river of goodness that is very much available to me, and wondering why I am dying of thirst?

Another metaphor for this is electricy and lightswitches: We do not sit in a dark room because someone has “turned on the dark.” There’s no such thing. We sit in a dark room because someone has turned off the light. Something has broken that electricity circuit. This one is easier to see.

How liberating to think that, at the moments we seem to be sitting in the dark, we can invite light back in, all by ourselves. Or, when we are parched for goodness and Love, we really can find a way to allow the stream of well being to flow to us, through us. We can, largely, quench our own thirsts.

How?

Release fear. Forgive someone. Forgive ouselves. Spark curiosity instead of holding judgement. Better yet, open a bold and loving conversation. Connect. Do difficult work that builds confidence and destroys self doubt. Stop outsourcing your abilities. Choose to see the best in a person or a murky situation. Count your blessings. Count your talents. Extend help to someone. Make their whole day! Accomplish something big on your Long List, and bonus points if it’s something that cannot be easily undone tomorrow. Donate clothes and household belongings before you scratch the itch to shop. Weed a garden. Walk your dog. Call someone out of the blue. Bravely imagine a tough situation working out better than you have ever dared to dream, and hold the details of that imagining until you feel the effects in your body. Write it all down to make room for something better. Pursue beauty. Notice more details. Gulp it all in! Bake for someone you love, and pray for them while you do it. Release fear.

Release fear.

Release fear without punishing yourself for having it in the first place.

Release fear over and over again. Fear is the opposite of Love, and it blocks so much goodness in our lives. In my own heart, fear has been the root of every failure and every excruciating pain. Fear is the reason I shrink back, too. Fear becomes my jealousy, my bitterness, my selfishness. I forget way too often how simple it is to release my fears straight into God’s hands. But when I finally do it, it always works.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on either of these ideas!

OK, how about some inspiration lately? Take it or leave it, and please swap me for something in your world!

Inspiration Lately!

The Elton John song Tiny Dancer as performed by Florence and the Machine. You know what, all music by Florence inspires me.

Original paintings by a young local artist named Savannah Scholz. She has new swan pieces that I am very interested in purchasing! Everything of hers that I have seen is dynamic, emtionally charged, and just gorgeous. She uses themes like fertility, loss, new life, partnership, birds, motherhood, and the balance of masculine and feminine power. Find her on Instagram!

I love how my friend Cathy arranges her dining room table for every season and every little shift in life. Recently she set it beautifully with an Edgar Allen Poe vibe, and I am just so dang jazzed by it. What meal would you seve at this creepy, elegant table? I’m thinking prime rib, rare, with something very garlicky.

The Rich Roll podcast interview of Chip Conley, all about the “Modern Elder.” The episode is #905, dated April 24th. If you are a fan of work by Richard Rohr, Victor Frankl, and Arthur Brooks, you’ll get lots out of this long, meandering conversation. Quickest takeaway: Project your life at least ten years into the future. Projected regret is your secret wisdom.

An audiobook biography called, Clementine: the Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill. Whoa buddy I got so much out of her life’s story. I have certainly made the mistake of putting people like Churchill on a pedestal, for their contributions to history or much quoted wisdom; so at first I felt startled by all the humanness and “green young woman” behavior of Clementine’s early years. But I swallowed that down and injested with an open mind the rest of her story, just as it was told. I am so glad I did. This biography provides a unique behind the scenes fullness to WWII stories we have heard before from the men and historians.

Pamela Anderson’s jaw dropping rebirth. I am riveted somewhat by the unpredictability of her path and especially by her devotion to hearth and home. Have you seen her home and garden show? There is also a cooking show too, which I loved.

Cal Newport’s podcast Deep Questions! I am a new listener. He is the author of books like Deep Work, Slow Productivity, and Digital Detox. So far I am finding his tone and pace in audio to be a lot more energetic that I expected, based on his books. Great material too, just a bit long winded. Which is funny coming from me, ha.

Also Emily Freeman’s podcast, The Next Right Thing. I am a long time listener but had lost track for a while. Her voice is soothing, her messge is sane and good, and her mothods are digestible. Episode #372 is all about space clearing, both physically, spatially, and emotionally Loved it.

A memoir titled Hope is a Verb by fellow Oklahoman, Amy Downs. Holy moly, friends. More on this will soon come your way in the form of a true book review. It deserves the loving attention. She is an OKC bombing survivor, a self made executive, and a triathelete. A fascinating and beatifully written story!

These painted rocks I keep seeing around the park in Choctaw. A local church is repsinsible for the commuity project, and it is all so uplifting. I have seen them hidden in secret places and grouped together out in the open. Just like people. Colorful and misshapen and beautiful too, again just like people.

The quiet work of friends who are pouring themselves into creatve pursuits. I have too many to list quickly, so I will share some solid gold stories soon. Our community is so rich because of these folks! Just know that my heart is full of love for our real life friends doing creative work.

There’s a wealth of internet eye candy right now, calling itself 90s Nostalgia, and y’all, we are kicked off hard and happy for Halloween right now but Christmas can go ahead and buckle up for extra colorful lights, cozier corners, and all things happy and good. Never have I been so thankful to be married to a guy who adores the holidays as much as I do. In addition to 90’s Nostaligia, there are accounts popping up left and right that show us crafts made from nothing but garden scraps: Willow branches become adult sized witches. Hydrangeas and maple branches are shaped into magical archways. Orange slices? You already know. Give me all the homemade, hand crafted magic.

Earlier this week I had the lucky chance to visit Handsome’s office for an employee appreciation event. I arrived at the tail end of the fun but still got to see so many friendly faces, and afterwards he walked me around part of the building for some quick introductions and to see old friends. Every single time I see these fine people, I am inspired by the work they do and the community they have built. Oklahoma is incredibly well served by the people who keep the Corporation Commission running smoothly. It fills my heart so much that I cried while driving away.

A book based on a podcast (that’s a modern switch!), both titled The Anthropocene Reviewed, by John Greene. Our incredible son in law Alex first led me to the podcast a few years ago, and I got hooked. I finally ordered the book a couple of months ago and fell for it imediately based on the introduction. In that, the author shares enough of his own story to help the reader develop a flavor for his quirky, deeply meaningful, and also hilariously irrelevant commentary on different features of modern life. That’s the best way I can explain it without robbing his explanation of the five star rating system. I know, this doesn’t make sense here, but it’s worth reading. Green has a knack for connecting the mundane with the profound, which you know is my favorite hobby besides gardening. Here’s a quote he shared, attributed to the poet Maurice Sendak:

“Pay attention to what you pay attention to.
Live your life.
Live your life.
Live your life.”

At a monthly meeting with the Master Gardeners last week, I took a few minutes to explore the Children’s Sensory Garden outside the Extension office. It’s small but packed with details and interesting dimensions, and ooofff it got my wheels turning for the school garden at Chavez! There, we have seven raised beds of various shapes and sizes, and we have plenty of challenges, but I wonder how much we could accomplish to this end. The kids are so smart and so interested in the physical experience of gardening, a sensory focus feels like the logical next step.

Friends, thanks a million for hanging in there with me today. I have more to share, but this is already so much. I would love to see something that’s inspired you lately!

“Break often.
Not like porcelain
but like waves.”
~Scherezade Siobhan
XOXOXO