Just the start

Here in the North American mid-continent, we feel the onset of summer. We've explored the meaning of "summer" in all of its variety as a metaphor for freedom. 

Now we stand at the brink of it. May you have a good one!

IMAGE: Many thanks to "A Lonely Girl" for this image.

The Dream

Do you ever feel this way?

I don't think we have to be living on the cusp of summer to feel this way. This is a crie de cour, a cry from the heart. 

For many people, summer is a state of mind that is freer, more open and relaxed than the rest of the year. "Summer" can be a stand-in word for "freedom," "rest," "recovery," or whatever one's heart most craves and needs. 

Likewise, "Monday" doesn't have to be literally one particular day of the week. It's a metaphor for submitting once again to (resented) labor, responsibility, accountability, and being overseen or supervised. Have you ever lived through a week of "Mondays"? I know I sure have. 

We creative types especially chafe at this restraint. We long for the freedom of "summer," no matter what time of year it is. 

Today we stand at the brink of literal summer, and our challenge is still the same: how do we elevate the mundane, until it is--if not sublime, at least (please) more palatable? How do we make a patch of sunlight and expanding possibilities for ourselves, in the midst of relentless outside demands and obligations?

That is the ultimate creative challenge. Each of us must find our own way, but have faith. A way is there. Grasp, insist, fight, demand for yourself the time and space you need to renew yourself. The price of failure is a life of despair.

IMAGE: Many thanks to the "Summer Quotes" Pinterest board.

Can you think Big enough to get Small?

Sometimes the answer to a massive challenge is right under our nose. As we close in on our most creative summer yet, remember that attitude is everything!

What's the key to creativity and a joyful life? It's how we approach the little things. The beauty we see in unexpected places and people. The first creative challenge is having eyes to see. The second is in our acceptance and creative follow-through.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Favim for this image.

Creative Challenge Accepted?

I've always thought of May as "trembling on the brink of summer." Summer is a magical season for many people. A time for re-thinking, re-inventing, and taking on new challenges.

This image was created with runners in mind, but think metaphorically and it speaks to us all.

In my part of the country many schools end their spring terms in May. But even if you don't have kids in school (or aren't one yourself), you still may be looking forward to a change of pace this summer. As we go through this month, the theme of my quotes and images will be preparing for a creative summer.

Don't you owe it to yourself to approach the challenge creatively? Imagine the possibilities! Then go chase the best ones. 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Quotes Love for this image.