Stage Two - Days 27 & 28 - Open

Saturday and Sunday were open and creative.

Sunday was spent with family... driving, talking, catching a movie, having dinner and hanging out. It was the kind of day that "normal people" have. The kind of day that I have been relatively short on in recent years. It was restful, thoughtful, and good.

Saturday, Karen and I went for a long walk and then had breakfast by the river. After that we took a long and leisurely stroll through town, meandering in and out of shops as if we were tourists in our own home town. It was easy, and relaxing and great. The weather cooperated and our spirits were refreshed.

I spent the afternoon down at the opening of the new office/club house for "Friends of the Petaluma River. During the time I was there, I got to watch a DVD on the organization (headed by my relatively new friend - David Yearsley - whom I met last summer while helping to put together the Petaluma River Fest). The thing that I was struck by most of all, was the fact that the issues involving the Petaluma River are the very same issues involving New ORleans and the Mississippi River. WETLANDS and their perpetual depletion. Seeing this video, attending the event, has made me clear on an issue that I have always been concerned about but never deeply involved in... Environmentalism, and the way it correlates with Justice.

After the event I spent about 90 minutes with a guy I met for the first time that afternoon. He's a Viet Nam Vet and our conversation plugged right into a writing idea I have been tossing around in my brain for the past several years... More on that later... but a point to be made...

In both cases, Saturday afternoon led me in the direction of new thought, and new action. My ripeness for these experiences and ideas was directly related to the state of relaxation I was in because of the way I had lived my week and the way we had spent the morning.

Rest led to Creative Openness which led to Opportunity.