Clearing the way

A warm breeze of love and well wishes for my birthday, blew my way yesterday, rolling in a feeling of support and appreciation, for a life of efforts that continues to do its best, on the breath of those very voices and more. Friends, family, colleagues, artists and students took time to say they care in many ways, including the unspoken feelings of many more in the process. There, with an air of enthusiasm and celebration, was the ever effervescent Joe Steele, making the day as special as possible, with the consummate assistance of the dear Dr. Ezeze in tow. The celebration was a clearing for the next step, an epochal moment, that set the stage for a future fulfilled on efforts made. The transition to Martha's Vineyard, and the show ahead on August 17th, and the many aspects of things that have consumed my time and attention, over the summer, is the next step into the future. It is funny how much can accumulate to do at the same time when a deadline looms over your consciousness, making the easy seem complicated and the mundane seem unwieldy. However, my normal tendency to carry all the disparate parts in my head has been compiled into a master accomplishment list at the behest on my "Counselor Extraordinaire" Jelani Bandele, who was in attendance last night. Since my consultancy sessions with her began six months ago, new insights in my skills and new methods of creating opportunity have become evident in a way that has always eluded me. Using my natural talent to draw have always been my fall back position when the need to move forward becomes necessary. However, the areas of growth and expansion that could really benefit are oftentimes left unattended by me in hopes that "manna from heaven" would intercede on my behalf and initiate new opportunities. Sometimes these opportunities require a direct involvement from me far beyond the wishing and hoping that oftentimes masquerades as initiative. The master accomplishment list set my birthday, July 29th, as a major completion point on various projects, and things are working out as such, given space for a clearing. In this space, creativity has room to grow, ideas have a place to be shared and opportunity has time to unfold. The annual milestone always marks a time for me to determine if I remain physically on par with my past or how much I have yielded from last year's vigor. Though the energy and stamina has taken a hit new ways of seeing has expanded, and that's a good thing for me now.