40 Days and 40 Nights...sabbatical reflections

WHAT I'VE LEARNED…

…That social media is not the boogey man

…That "status updates" can matter a lot

…That "status updates" cannot matter at all

…That tweeting ain't my thing

…That somebody somewhere is always listening

…That social media interaction, like everything else, can be overdone

…That politics really is entertainment

…That my generation was different but not better

…That writing on demand is a job

…That red wine can taste good– but I still have class if I prefer white

…That loves makes a home but nurturing makes a sanctuary

…That my grandparents were homesteaders

…That Martin Luther king broke bread with my momma

…How Aragon ended up with the Elves

…How to start a quilt

…That my abstract painting is too abstract to be artistic

…The cool pleasure of clay in my hands

AND REMEMBERED…

…That time passes quickly

…That I still love basketball

…That I'm still bedazzled by the shining silver screen!

…That I love adventure-not as escape-but as life

…That my thumb's even greener than I thought

…The sweetness of not having to wait in line

…Late night moons

…Dancing til 2 AM

…To wear gloves in the dirt or unpleasant things may result

…That artists express as much as they create

I RECOGNIZE…

…That the love of friends and family are our most precious gifts

…That I'm tougher than I thought

…That I get to control my stress

…How I want to work

…How I don't want to work

…That inspiration and strategy can encourage community

…That only sweat and patience transform community

…That now is the time to plan for later

…That I'm surrounded by a lot of good folks

…That I couldn't recall as much because I was being asked to remember too much

…That water matters

…That the world keeps right on turning…

…That good things come to those who wait