Here’s what has happened in the last six months. My children grew up and moved away. I was separated and then divorced. I
quit my job. I drove a thousand miles to begin a new life.
Now that you’re caught up, we can move on.
The pressure is off. I can rest. I have
enough to eat and a place to sleep. I’m
surrounded by lush vegetation, beaches, and cultures rich with music, history,
and art. Best of all, I have someone new who loves me. For the first time in years, I
have quiet and freedom to think and write my thoughts. It’s time to release the muse so they can fan the flames of my creativity.
Except…. I’ve got
nothing.
Well, that’s not exactly true. I’ve got a headache.
And my ears ring. My
heart pounds. My stomach churns right along with the emotions that have yet to
settle. My friends say it will take some
time.
Whatever. I intend to
start my new life even if I stumble a little at the beginning.
Perhaps it's ironic that in the midst of this tropical land, my
brain feels as empty as the plains of West Texas, where the land is dull, brown
and flat.
Yet having grown up in that barren land, I know that West
Texas has more to it than one might realize.
Tough mesquite bushes hold fast, never giving in to the elements. Huddled in their shade are jack
rabbits, deer, armadillos, coyotes, and skunks. Underneath bleached rocks are snakes,
centipedes, and scorpions. Dig down a few feet into the soil and you find a diminishing
water table. Dig further down and you
could strike oil. Overhead, the sun burns hot and
the wind is dry, sometimes kicking up huge whirlwinds that we call dust
devils. Angry storms occasionally lash
out with lightening, hail, and tornadoes, but most days you can look up to see
the endless blue sky. At dusk the sun exits
with a splash of colors. Then night takes over and the sky fills up with a billion stars and
galaxies.
Maybe it’s not so empty inside of me, either. When I take a moment to look behind the dull
headache, I can see that my stubborn passions remain. There are still memories,
music, tears, hunger, love, friendships, hatred, laughter, loneliness, sexuality,
and scorn.
Is there any courage left? Maybe.
What about spirituality?
We’ll see.