Loose Leaf Notes

1. Dorothy meets Cinderella?

2. To paraphrase Alan Watts, known for interpreting and popularizing Buddhist, Taoist, and Hindu philosophy for a Western audience: “wanting to change a want is also a want.”

3. I told Joe I was Wu Wei, referring to the Taoist practice of not making things happen but letting them unfold. And he said, “Are you Wu Wei, Woo Woo, Fengshui, or Fenway (a reference to my Boston MA roots)?

4. This is me thinking about camping.

5. Believe it or not I read some quantum physics around the campfire, which I told my 14-year-old grandson Liam was “the wildest thing I’ve ever heard.” I think that got his attention.

6. I went to a beautiful memorial celebration to support my dear friend Susanna whose husband Daryl died unexpectedly at the mere age of 50.  We hugged and I kissed her. As I moved on in the reception line, I realized that her wet tear was left on my cheek. I touched it lightly and I asked a friend if he could see it. “It’s glistening,” he said.  A minute or so later, it dried up, but I like to think that I absorbed it. – Read The Kiss for Susanna HERE.

7. Susanna and Daryl were Dead Heads. The day after Daryl, died Phil Lesh died.

8. Of course, the song “Oh Susanna” keeps popping up in my head.

9. A campfire is a great place for popping popcorn. For telling stories and building traditions.

10. It’s a great place for watching the river and stars at night. It’s a warm hearth for drinking tea, for making and eating camp oatmeal and scrambled eggs.

11. I followed a tender trail / of my little brother’s trauma / when he was Hansel and I was Gretel… I leave breadcrumbs in poems / and forge the unknown / I hope we all get home. – Read The Hero’s Journey in its entirety HERE.

12. I think learning to gut a fish will be my next learning curve.

13. Liam likes to say he caught a hopa Joe.

________Thirteen Thursday