This morning I was trying too hard to write a meaningful blog post. I kept getting stuck on something – writer’s block, boredom, restlessness, taking myself too seriously, self-doubt… whatever.
While I sat staring at my screen, a bird began to sing outside my kitchen window. It was an odd, random song with no beginning, no end, and no clear melody in the middle. It was much more random and covered a broader range of notes than any bird song I’d ever heard before. Captivated, I went to stand by the open window to listen. I couldn’t see the bird, so I have no idea what kind it was.
One thing I know for certain is that that bird loves to sing. She doesn’t care who’s listening, how she sounds, or whether there is any value in her song. She isn’t concerned about whether she’ll be able to sign with a record company or if anyone will show up for her concerts. She doesn’t even need her song to make sense or to fit into any musical category. She just sings.
I doubt whether that bird ever wrestles with singer’s block.
And so, in honour of that bird, I decided that on today’s blog post, I would just sing. Here are the little random bits of song that are on my heart today…
Song #1 – I continue to be in awe of the beautiful weather we’ve been having around here. Just now I went for a quick walk to the store (partly so that I could be outside to listen to the birds), and I could have done it without a jacket. I don’t know when we’ve enjoyed such consistently warm weather in the Fall, and I think the trees are loving it because they seem to be hanging onto their leaves longer. AND this follows an equally incredible summer.
Song #2 – I am completely in love with my Creative Writing for Self Discovery class on Thursday evenings. We sit in circle, we share stories, and we inspire and encourage each other. I want to do this for the rest of my life.
Song #3 – Speaking of stories and circles, Desiree Adaway and I are working on a secret project that is so exciting I’m just bursting to tell you about it. It’s the culmination of a few dreams that are just bursting to come true. We’ll share it soon… I promise.
Song #4 – Yesterday I was listening to a podcast that was recorded from somewhere in the Middle East, and in the background of the recording the Muslim call to prayer could be heard. I can hardly describe the longing that sound filled me with. Just like I did with the birdsong this morning, I had to stop what I was doing and just listen. I love the call to prayer and I love that the sound of it usually means that I’m in a country that is different from my own. Waking up to the call to prayer on the first morning in a new country, knowing I have adventure and new stories ahead of me, is one of my all time favourite moments EVER. I can hardly wait to relive it.
Song #5 – Speaking of travel, I leave for Toronto this weekend and, as you can imagine, that thought fills this wanderer with great joy. What gives me an extra dose of joy this time around is that this trip is happening largely because a very special person whom I’ve never met said “I love everything you write and I love the work you do. I think you need to be in Toronto for a workshop on narrative coaching and we’re going to make it happen.” And then she proceeded to make it happen. How cool is that?! I get to travel, be inspired by ideas that fit perfectly into the work I’m doing right now, meet interesting people, and explore some new ideas for how my work might link in with other people’s. Throw an extra little trill into my song right here, ’cause I’m bursting!
Song #6 – While I’m in Ontario next week, I get to spend some time in a special place with my friend and mentor Diane. She inspires me, encourages me, believes in me, and has promised me a Reiki session. AND she has a labyrinth in her back yard! Lucky me! Plus we’ll be meeting with a few other mutual friends and together we’re planning a women’s gathering in Ontario next year that will be an amazing thing to be part of.
Song #7 – I am making another pot of soup for lunch today. This time it’s brocolli and cheddar. There’s something about the Fall that just says SOUP for me. It’s the fourth pot I’ll make in about a week and a half.
Song #8 – In addition to my creative writing class and another writing class starting at the university, I’ll be teaching two workshops in the coming weeks. One is on Emotional Intelligence and the other is something I call the Mango Principles – on building communities rather than teams in our workplaces. (It’s based on a story of how the sharing of a mango once had a dramatic impact on an environment I was part of.) I’m especially excited about getting to do the Mango Principles again because it’s an idea I’m particularly fond of.
Song #9 – Speaking of community, I’ve been longing for a circle of creative entrepreneurial women in my city but I didn’t know where to find such a thing. I tried a few networking groups, but none of them felt right to me. Once I started talking about it, though, I soon discovered 4 other women looking for something similar. We had our first gathering in a funky bookstore coffee shop, and now we have plans to meet monthly. Lesson learned: if you can’t find the kind of community you need to support you, figure out how to create it.
Song #10 – I just realized that this post is all about my favourite things: story, circle, community, beauty, and wandering. Oh… and food. 🙂
Late breaking addition to the song list – Just now my friend Jo-anne phoned to arrange a chai date for this afternoon. She’s one of my favourite people to hang out with, so I have another happy moment to look forward to.