E is for...

EMOTION

"Remember thought comes first, then the emotion. Do not try to change your emotions. Just wake up and think joyful thoughts." ~ Ships of Song

This is not as easy as it seems. But it is a worthy practice. And it aids in many a morning when the best sleep I allowed for is a string of catnaps over the period of 4 or 5 hours. I say allow because the nocturnal nature of my child is no more out of my control than any other creation...but I know him. And I know he creates, too.  I know he is keenly aware of many more sights, sounds and movements than I am that occur in the daylight hours that both distract and cause him discomfort. I know that night has a stillness and a quietness that comforts him. But again, we have something new happening and I can see him moving through the sights and sounds of daytime more easily now. 

Yessss. I feel a full 8 hours of sleep on my near horizon. Until then, I'll continue to awaken to warm and fuzzy thoughts. 

P.S. One is never too old to own a teddy bear. 

D is for...

DRIVING

When my son was much younger, we lived an hour outside Austin. And every week morning, I would drive the commute to this special little school making a pitstop at Round Rock's Burger King off I-35 to pick up another child to tote him the rest of the way.  Then, replay it all back again at the end of the school day. 

Driving can be monotonous. So, you do things like memorize exit signs or wager with yourself which lane is going to move faster once you actually hit the morning rush. You make creative judgements regarding out-of-state license plates. You watch for teen drivers running late for school. Eventually, you get wise and learn to manipulate the service roads until you've cut 10 to 15 minutes off the commute. There was a prayer I'd often repeat at a red light: Green, God, Green. The kids still say that one. I love it, too, because God never fails them...but it is a lesson in timing. 

Anyway, one thing that I began to do that made the commute so enjoyable was to write lyrics and melodies. I got a recorder and tried to input story ideas or write poetry but I found it too distracting.  For some reason, singing came effortlessly while allowing me to maneuver my way past, what seemed like, an ever increasing traffic flow. 

Save one, all the songs I'm in the studio working on now came from this commute. One for my mother. Another that reminds me of my late aunt. And a couple of others. I'm taking my time with the music. Just got it all on cruise control. Just like those old days when I was headed into Austin City Limits. 

C is for...

COCONUT

It's a long story. I'll tell it soon. But, basically, I hired a young woman to work with my son. At the time, I was requesting to truly understand Unconditional Love and how it served my path, blah, blah, blah. I'll tell more of that soon, too. But, unknowingly, I hired a pregnant woman who.....smokes. I didn't ask whether she did or not because in my reality pregnant women don't smoke. I can be very naive. There was a moment, as I looked at her, that I thought: Can't continue to hire her. I can't give her money to support this habit. This is wrong. But then my Soul stepped in and said: How can you serve her? She is here to serve you. How are you going to honor the Best Her?

Got it.

I've only lovingly talked to her about smoking. I've offered to pay for an Rx and have given her information that many have used successfully without medications. When she began working she was at 11 - 12 smokes. Now when stressed, which began to be less and less as we spent time together,  6?

Recently we began implementing coconut oil into my son's diet. Slowly and happily seeing interesting improvements. We still have our moments but they're not days! She took it upon herself to research the benefits. Completely enamored, she's become quite versed and even put herself on the coconut detox. No small surprise, her cigarette craving is almost completely gone. She still struggles with the motor memory mostly. The habits of the habit.

Anyway, I will tell her life story soon. She's given me permission. And as we've grown close, that story has empowered me in so many way. She has been of great service to the path of my Soul. And I love her unconditionally.