I step onto my 5th floor balcony and into a cheerful summer morning…my inner weather, however, serves something quite different.

At two years of age, Henry moves his body with an economy suggestive more of wise elder than young poodle pup. Neither skip nor squirm betrays enthusiasm or interferes with the silent, zen-like bearing of his slender ten-pound frame.

… that she would tell me one-on-one is a BIG surprise. I am keen to respond—not to the message–but to the person sharing it.

I prepare for a reunion with old friends, fretting as departure draws near. Have I time to shed five pounds or whiten my teeth? Score the perfect outfit? Maybe, but it’s …

My unmet desire for a life based on the comfort of prescribed roles morphs slowly into an ‘inner odyssey’ of creative adventure. 

Astonished, jubilant and no longer alone, I want to shout! Filled with unexpected joy, triumph, exuberance, and 1000 watts of wonder, I begin my day feeling fiercely alive.