You have to be there

I spent much of this morning experimenting, but it's not yet going where I want it to; still much too close to realism.  I think I'm avoiding something -- probably avoiding picking up a paintbrush -- but life is too crazy right now to throw all my eggs into this particular basket.

So it was lovely to get this in the mail today from Jan Phillips (I'm now on her mailing list, having attended her workshop last week).  She had gone to hear Mary Oliver speak at Seattle U (a talk I missed because I was in rehearsal) and apparently Mary Oliver spoke of the Muse, saying, "The voice is working in us all the time. You have to be there when you have promised."

This reminded Jan of the W.H. Murray piece about the Scottish Expedition to Mt. Everest which she shared with us at the workshop:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no one could have dreamt would have come their way."

I can think of any number of stories in my life and the lives of my family where this has proven to be true.  But for now I think I'll just say, I'm too busy to commit -- which means I've somehow gotten over-committed.  But this, too, shall pass -- and then... well, I can't wait to see what happens next!