Pleasant challenges
Some things are just plain fun, and even easy, while providing a challenge.
For example, it’s challenging to sing really well, but when it works it just works. The voice flows out of the mouth effortlessly – at this point the voice is beyond belonging to a particular person, or at least it seems that way when I’m the one opening my mouth and letting song flow out. There’s no work involved, except in staying out of the way.
Similarly, I find a pleasant challenge when I can stare into my heart and discover the sun, everywhere I go. I’d sit and stare for hours, and let it stare at me, but I am afraid that this is not that sun. This sun, if it knew the warmth of its gaze, of its touch on my skin, would surely hide its face. I must keep on with all the stuff of life, or certainly I will swallow the song, and the sun will call in the clouds. But if that is so, then this is not the sun, and I have no need to worry. And if it is not the case – if this is the sun for which I hope – then it too will be warmed by my gaze, and I have no need to worry.
The sun! It’s in my heart, or it isn’t, and it doesn’t matter which! I am all too aware of how easy it is to have such delight in this discovery. All too aware – just aware enough to keep from jumping out of my skin with excitement. Aware enough to remain balanced, and maybe to stay out of the way. Maybe aware enough to keep the song going.
Aware enough, or blind enough, that I keep looking for the sun in other places. Dedicated enough that, even after swallowing so many songs, I’m still opening my mouth to sing.