Making Something from Nothing

On Sunday, June 10th, my friend and "local luminary", Susan Wooldridge, had a release party for her new book, FOOLSGOLD, Making Something From Nothing, And Freeing Your Creative Process. Lyon Books, in Chico, was packed with her friends and admirers, all gathered to support her in her newest creative accomplishment.

I consider Susan a sweet friend and although she is not someone I know well, she has always been a bright and shining force of powerful woman energy in my life. Over the years, Susan has always gifted me with her enthusiastic acceptance and gentleness. She is intelligent, warm, insightful and incredibly sexy. She is also a great dancer, moving her body with grace and beauty. My heart always opens and then melts just a little when I come in contact with her sweet beingness. Love just sort of oozes out of her. I give thanks that our paths have crossed in this life.

I didn't have much time to linger at her release celebration, just long enough to pick up a copy of "Foolsgold" and hear her read a chapter which had tears streaming from my eyes. Now here at home I've just finished reading chapter 1, called "wisdom beach" which she begins with a quote from Gandhi:

A "no" uttered from the deepest conviction is better and greater than a "yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble."

Susan reflects on her penchant for saying "yes" alongside her fear of saying "no". She offers a German word, Torschlusspanik, which means "door shut panic" pertaining to the fear of closing doors and letting go of options. It reminds me of the acronym, FOMO, "fear of missing out." Her story is created along a creek side journey of learning to say"no" to the outside world that she may gift her authentic self with an internal "yes".

Susan encourages us to write a list of everything we wouldn't do if we didn't "have to" and another of what we would do if only we had the time (I'd include money, energy, ability etc.) She asks "Where can you say no to the outside world and yes to yourself?"

Today, as I contemplate my opportunities to say no to the outside world, and yes to myself I notice that my biggest distractor is my own mind. It pulls me into the external nothingness and keeps me from my meditation spot. Today, I commit to meditate. Also, I have this tendency to avoid the mess of my external with inertia. I become overwhelmed by the details, the stuff to be done with this endless array of "nothings" that clutter my life. I say no to artlessness and denial and and commit to seeing the truth and making "something" from whatever I'm confronted with.