lots and lots of spins

It feels wildly appropriate (a “How could it be otherwise?”) that while writing my Morning Pages on this birthday day The Beach Boys would come running into my head — “After six hours of school I’ve had enough of a day. I hit the radio dial, I turn it up all the way.” This is how I feel this Friday, having traveled around the sun 75 times. Far beyond being stunned I’m still here, what with all the shenanigans and repeated moments of true stupidity; what with all the good fortunes and folks holding me up and taking my hand; the all of all of it. That I’ve arrived here this morning, up for this day at 1:48, with the clarity that I have my radio turned up all the way.

All the way.

I left the library after supporting Briana yesterday with these three books checked out – “Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Twentieth-Century Mexican Art” – The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection; “A World of Artist Journal Pages” – Dawn Devries Sokal; “Opening the Hand of Thought” – Kosho Uchiyama. I drove directly from the library in Logan Heights to the Mission Hills Starbucks and met Ann’s, and now my, friend Cory. She’d asked to meet me so she could ask me about “spirituality.” Imagine that, someone wanting my take on what being “spiritual” is all about. Tra la la, “The big wheel it goes round and round.”

Yesterday afternoon, home in the apartment after coffee, I received a sweet email from a woman named Daurice, a PhD serving as Executive Director for Bay State Community Services, Inc. in Quincy, MA, a place of former employment. I sent one back. This morning Ann gave me a sweatshirt with a beautiful blue, white, and orange kingfisher on it. It was sweet and thoughtful, her gift. I’ve come to dig and honor the all-in-ness in the moment of kingfishers. Their radio’s for sure turned up all the way.

Each morning I ask something for help to have a grateful heart. This Friday morning – check.