Where’s Your Zone?
No, not Time Zone. Although, I will admit Time Zone Math has played a BIG part these last two weeks in New Mexico.
I mean “The Zone.”
When you’re in the zone, you can feel it. Can you describe it? To me, it’s like running with the current of life instead of against it. And heaven knows, I know exactly what that resistance feels like. One step forward, two steps back. Ten steps back. One step sideways. Ugh.
My first lesson learning to go with the flow started with my hair. Literally.
If I try three times to get my hair to do a particular thing and it refuses, then my hair wins. It gets to decide. Life’s too short to spend an hour struggling to defy gravity, curls, or texture — like we did in the 80’s. All that Aqua Net!
How do YOU know when you’re in the zone?
For me, it often comes with a déjà vu. Last week, I had three in one afternoon. Some kinda record, I bet. I should call Guinness Book of World Records — my 15 minutes of fame may be waiting.
Was I doing anything profound?
Oh, heck no.
I took it as a sign that I was doing exactly what I should be doing — even if it was listening to a book while working on a jigsaw puzzle. (The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, for the record. 4.5 stars from me.)
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The most profound zone I’ve experienced in a VERY long time came when I was driving across New Mexico last week. On my way back from Ghost Ranch (Georgia O’Keeffe’s home), I had an overwhelming sense that the world was unfolding exactly as it should. Sudden flashes of events that had brought me to this very moment, this very day, this very road. A sequence of experiences I never could have planned or predicted.
I know!
How sanctimonious and self-involved can I sound?
All I know is that’s exactly how it felt.
Me.
Here.
New Mexico.
Right now.
Plan were made MONTHS ago — I had no idea I would find perfect weather, a perfect day, and perfect landscape to inspire and enthrall me. Reminding me (again) of how long Our Safe Space has been waiting to come into existence.
A million years ago, I saw a documentary about Georgie O’Keeffe — she’ll always be my hero. Of her 98 years, she lived most of them on her terms — when women just weren’t allowed to. She took her bold and dramatic one-of-a-kind talent and lived OUTSIDE THE BOX. I don’t think she could even see the box from her point of view.
She lived where she wanted, painted what she wanted, dressed the way she wanted. She was doing all black long before it was a thing. She followed her dreams because she couldn’t/wouldn’t live any other way.
WHY IN THE WORLD ISN’T THAT THE NORM FOR ALL WOMEN?
Sorry to yell.
But, why?
I read this quote right before I sat down to write this letter to you: The best advice I got from my aunt, the great singer Rosemary Clooney … was: don’t wake up at seventy years old sighing over what you should have tried. Just do it, be willing to fail, and at least you gave it a shot. — George Clooney
Maybe it’s an accurate quote. Maybe not.
It sounds great and I’ll take it 😊
Here’s to finding your flow, identifying what makes you tick, and honoring your passage through this thing called life by being true to who and what you are. Let’s hope you get to enjoy 98 years of it, too.
Write me back and tell me about your zone.
Time Zone, Danger Zone, Comfort Zone or otherwise.
