It’s how my day begins. I’m in my chair with a coffee and scanning the news, while my dog lays nearby with a toy. I have a couple of choices to make. I keep watching the news, or I choose to put on some music. I’ll begin with some Moody Blues to perhaps find inspiration. I remember when once I believed I had to be severely depressed for any of my writing to be any good. I discovered gradually over time that a lot of my words would excel when penning from a positive frame of mind. Oh those dark moments would still exist, but I found a way to channel them. 

The Beatles ‘Norwegian Wood’ just crooned followed by some Neil Young, both accentuating a time in my life where I can recall my frame of mind. Today, it’s not far off, having the same impact with their wise lyrics.

I’m deciding as I write today what lies ahead. This is meant to describe a glimpse into my day, just doing so with my words helps me sort through things in my mind. It is certainly progress, whereby it eclipses the many days I sat in my chair just staring at the wall in disbelief, no dog in the room to help me escape the visual silence, and my life a confusing mixture of sadness, angst and disappointment. Those descriptors don’t fit as well as they once did. I have plenty to keep me busy these days, and having the wherewithal to keep moving forward is a wonderful benefit. Life isn’t perfect but contains resources in my head that occasionally over the years have been missing.

How we let our thoughts consume us is naturally overwhelming if we don’t remain conscious and present in our own defense. I can fall back on my mistakes and slips in years past, or focus upon what is ahead. Both measures have red flags. The past for obvious reasons can be a frightening place to revisit if that’s all I focus on. Last night I was thinking about the impact I had in my theatre programs over the years, and that put me into a positive frame of mind. I need to put effort in staying there more often when slipping into my past. Looking to the future and contemplating what might be ahead is better than feeling helpless to what comes next in my life. In both scenarios staying present in the now is my greatest gift. So, yeah, I talked a little of my past and future, but I am hopefully landing on the present. My mom used to compliment me when she would occasionally say, ‘you’re in the now Thom, go after it.’ She said it was evident in the glimmer in my eyes. 

Thoughts have such a tremendous impact on our day. I can feel them in my body as I type these words. Glances at my dog and ideas come to mind about how I need to give her some exercise. I look about my space and see a world that continues to expand itself in my mind. I just have to allow it to happen in a concrete and tangible manner. My writing studio might very well be coming to life.