quote du jour

My thinking process is pretty random and organic, web-like. Thought threads lead to completely unrelated ideas. A friend told me recently I have hummingbird thoughts; true enough. Sometimes (most times) it's exhausting, but then, I'm easily entertained so I guess it's a fair trade.

All that to say this morning I was going to write a piece on how/why it is that some of us tend to make much ado about nothing. Involved in a work thing that is out of control, that's on my mind these days. That led to a scrap of taoist verbiage about a contented simple life "...going nowhere, doing nothing..." which I was trying to chase down, then I fell into this:

THE THOUGHT--

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony.

WILLIAM HENRY CHANNING

And here we are.

The map inside my head: rambling backroads, side trails, many dead ends, mostly unmarked, no freeways or interstates, 4x4 often necessary, with a winch and chain to get out of the mud handy. Meandering at best, destinations unknown. It's all pencil and charcoal and smudges, with occasional crayon color, on the back of envelopes or ripped pieces of brown paper bags. Like a treasure map, except there's no "X marks the spot."

Maybe the treasure IS the map.

And so begins the day.