I'm still beaming in the afterglow of last Sunday's amazing success of two Celebration Circles taking place simultaneously in Austin (where I co-hosted a well-received, first Sunday Circle at the Toltec Center for Creative Intent with HeatherAsh Amara) and San Antonio (where Zet and our guest speaker, Hal Robinson, wove a very powerful gathering before a full house at the SA Garden Center).
In the midst of another action-packed week, I'm also busy preparing for a special gig this Saturday night from 8:30-11pm at the Olmos Pharmacy. I'll be working with Rudi and The Rudiments (Kevin Lewis, bass; Kiko Guerrero, drums) to deliver an eclectic mix of original songs, improvised tunes and off-beat covers from the 60's-70's, all delivered with a folk-rock-rhumba-reggae twist. (The Pharmacy is a fun place located at the corner of Hildebrand and McCullough, with a relaxed atmosphere, lots of free parking and no cover charge. I hope you'll consider coming out to have fun, listen and help us spread the Circle vibe. For directions and details,www.olmosrx.com).
So, I took the week off from writing a new column in this space, by re-visiting a piece I wrote a few summers ago, with the intention of reminding myself (and maybe you, too) of the wisdom of taking things at little easier at this time of year...
BEATING THE HEAT
It's another hot summer day; the humid heat hangs heavy over the sweaty city of Sauna Antonio. There's no breeze, and nothing seems to be stirring in the yard, as far as I can see. Apparently, the birds, bees, dogs, frogs and lizards alike know better than to make any extraneous movements, hiding beneath whatever scraps of shade they can find and conserving their energy for later in the day.
Only we humans tend to act as if we're oblivious to the messages that Mother Earth is sending us at this time of year. Instead of slowing down, we simply turn up the AC, drink another glass of iced tea and zoom off to the next activity.
SURRENDERING TO GRAVITY
But the circumstances of my life demand that I temporarily surrender to the gentle downward-pull of gravity, so I decide to lie down, take a short nap and recharge my batteries. While drifting off into reverie, an old story of unknown origin comes tiptoeing through my memory:
A successful young businessman was driving his shiny new, BMW through a residential neighborhood where parked cars lined the shady streets. In a hurry, driving a little too fast he was shocked to see a big rock came flying from the direction of the sidewalk and hit his car door with a loud thud.
He slammed on the brakes and zoomed back to where the rock came from. Seeing a young boy looking him straight in the face, the driver jumped out and started screaming, "You little jerk! Do you have any idea how much it'll cost to fix this paint job?"
"I'm sorry, sir," the child replied, "but I didn't know what else to do to get your attention. All the other cars just kept driving by when I tried to wave or yell for help." At this point the driver noticed the tears in the boy's eyes, looking toward the sidewalk where another child lay sprawled out on the sidewalk, obscured by the row of parked cars. "It's my brother, sir. He hit a bump and fell out of his wheelchair. He's hurt and too heavy for me to lift up by myself. Could you help us?"
Deeply moved, the driver helped lift the boy back into the wheelchair, wiped off the scrapes with his handkerchief, and asked if he could be of further assistance. "That's okay. I can handle it from here. We live close by. Thank you," said the grateful child, wheeling his brother toward home.
Slowly, the man walked back to his expensive car, where he stood staring at the dented door for a long time before driving off. He never did get that door fixed, choosing to keep it as a reminder to slow down and keep his eyes open so that life wouldn't have to throw any more stones at him to get his attention again...
REVISING MY STRATEGY
So here I sit in the shade of a hackberry tree, feeling the heat and doing my best to pay attention to what my surroundings are telling me: "Slow down, relax, stop moving fast for awhile, long enough to listen for the quiet clues whispering all around you. And, please, be mindful of whatever unexpected flying objects might appear, asking you to pay attention!"
With gratitude and blessings,
Rudi
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