Heat Wave by Susan L.

  It's been hot and muggy now for several days. Well up into the thirties or the forties if you add the effect of humidity. It's unusual for this time of year. I'm glad. H and I are heading up to Awenda to camp for a few days. It's meant packing everything from a bathing suit to flannel jammies and sweaters because it's supposed to cool down by Thursday. At least it will be warmer than the last time we did a September trip! Still, it doesn't hurt to pack extra blankets just in case.
  It has put a damper on any kind of physical exertion. When simply raising a glass of water to your lips breaks a sweat, the lawn can go ahead and get shaggy. Instead a good amount of time has been spent at the piano thoroughly enjoying composing some little songs. Some are worship with lyrics...personal musical prayers I suppose. And why not. I use art to pray. The others are short, classical style ditties.
  Sometimes it's really nice living on my own.
  In a way it's a bit like doing a collage where random images gathered without too much thinking end up as a unified piece. I sort of bang away at the notes until I hear something I like. With a bit of luck, I can duplicate what was just played. It doesn't always happen. Oh, well. It doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. All that is written down is the melody line in my rather questionable musical shorthand that sometimes even I find difficult to read!
  The act of creating. It means a lot to me whether it is in art, woodworking, music or writing. There's a great deal of joy in making something out of nothing. It's a place of recapturing innocence and rest and celebration. It's a place of letting go and letting in.
  The hardest thing is to let go of a critical eye or ear for that matter because it isn't about the completed piece, it's about making the journey.
  "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Gal 5:1