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

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

… that she would tell me one-on-one is a BIG surprise. I am keen to respond—not to the message–but to the soul who shares 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…I want to shout, emptied of questions and filled with unexpected joy, exuberance, and 1000 watts of wonder. I begin my day feeling fiercely alive.