Facing the Unexpected

Let me begin today by saying how overwhelmed I was to discover so many of you still here and reading my blog. I was so sure I would have to begin again taking time to meet all my friends on blogger. It was such a joy to have so many comments made on my first day back. Thanks to all of you. I would also like to take just a minute to say thanks to Jerry who emailed me once or twice and I am so happy to see you are still so positive and sounding so well. Glad you are through the chemo and you are as ever in my thoughts.


Now I am aware that there is nothing more boring that other peoples holiday tales but let me share this with you. Each day I ran first thing in the morning. I went the same route each day, unlike me I usually love to explore new routes. I went the same way for a reason. The run ended each day with the unexpected and a bit of excitement. Even at my age I love that.

I ran through a little village about a mile or so from the caravan park then headed into the nature park. There I ran a small track which eventually passed over a small wall path with water each side. Halfway along there was a small mill operated by the water. This part was tidal so gave me a hint at the possible ending of my run.

Having left the wildlife park I headed towards a village called Isla. A long uphill road led to the village dropping back down to the sea. Here was the fun part. Only when I arrived here did I know what the last part of the run would be. If the tide was fully in it meant a fairly long swim over to the beach by the caravan park. If it was coming in or going out it meant either a wade in strong currants, and that could be exciting. If it was fully out then just a small paddle and a further long run along the firm beach.

People thought I was mad, and they were probably correct about that. There was always the other alternative about turning and retracing my route backwards.

How like life and art is that? Some days life and painting can be a paddle other days it can be a hard wade making you feel like giving up. At other times there might be the difficult but possible swim against the tide. Maybe, just maybe sometimes we have to backtrack and do a rethink.

This is in fact the way of Tao. We have to take risks sometimes but we must always go with what our heart tells us is right.



I am going to add some new thoughts to the painting I put on my other blog connected to the thoughts I have here.

This blog is linked to my other. Motion and Emotion

Grasp The Moment

I had lived on Iona for a year leaving to return to Edinburgh. Here I was hoping to progress my studies further and gain University entrance. I was given the opportunity to join a commune, so I had accommodation all I need now was to find a means of earning enough to survive, (never had I accepted social welfare). I also need to find a way to finish my studies in the time scale. Both problems were within days in the most unexpected way.


Never being one to miss the opportunity of getting to know interesting characters, problem two was solved. Walking along the famous Princess street in Edinburgh with the castle towering above me, I noticed a newspaper vendor making conversation with customers, not something they normally did, and also reading what looked like a weighty tome. I engaged him in conversation and we seemed to strike up empathy for one another. He was a surgeon who had become an alcoholic and here he was selling newspapers. He offered to help with my studies if I helped him to increase his sales by taking some of the papers round the local hostelries. We almost doubled sales in a very short time and my studies progressed in the evenings. He had a wonderful way of imparting knowledge.

A couple of days later we had popped into a large store where we were going to have a meal, macaroni cheese, I can remember it to this day. While in the store I saw a man taking a bundle of bamboo poles out through the back door. I had an idea, and followed him out to find where he was taking them. I managed to come to an agreement that I would collect these poles for a very nominal payment. They were used to roll carpets round for delivery to the store.

Somewhere in my mind I remembered seeing bamboo that had been scorched and had looked like ebony. With a small saw I cut the bamboo into varying sizes of squares and oblongs. With a red hot blade I burned it turning it to the effect I remembered, its own natural oils creating a beautiful sheen. With a red hot knitting needle I made holes at each corner. With the use of leather thong I was able to produce belts, necklaces and bracelets. They sold like hot cakes from the newspaper stand.

What has this to do with Tao? It is a story about grasping the moment. It is about being alive to opportunities that moment by moment come our way. We have to be aware that in every encounter with another fellow human being, there is a person with a story to tell. The artist must be alert and alive to the stimulus of everyday moments.

This is the way of Tao.

Dogs and Conflict

I had a dog called Damon a great companion and running mate. He was always there for me. When nobody else wanted to run because the weather was so bad, Damon was there at the ready waiting to go. When I had a long spell of total silence unable to speak, because of voice problems, he seemed to know exactly what I was saying to him. I did not need to say anything a pat was enough. Sadly he was knocked over by a car while we were out running. I had noticed he was not keeping up with me, he seemed unwell. I decided to turn and head for home, he misunderstood and crossed the road as we usually did and was hit by a passing car. I frequently think of him when I am out running, how he would have enjoyed this run or that run.

I heard, or read, a story of a person who had bought a dog from a breeder. She had grown very fond of the dog and did certainly not want to lose it. The breeder had sent her a contract of sale within which there was a clause that said he retained the breeding rights of the dog. The lady was upset thinking that the breeder could come at anytime and take the dog from her for breeding purposes. She had consulted some lawyer friends and they had all said she had a case. Ready to go down that road she told another friend who advised she make contact and check with the breeder first. She did and discovered that this clause was included in the contract in error. All conflict was resolved.

A friend of mine was giving a talk at a meeting. He was in full flight and feeling very good, thinking the talk was going well. About halfway through a person got up from her seat and left the room in which the meeting was being held. He was concerned about what he had said, what had offended this lady. He kept looking for her to return but she never did, his concentration was lost and the second half of the talk he limped through. At the end they all thanked him but he was aware that he had not given of his best.

As the tea was being served he headed off to see if he could find the lady who had left so that he might apologise to her and put things right. He found her in the kitchen and asked her if she was alright. “Oh yes minister, she said, “I remembered I had left the light on under the urn and was concerned it would boil dry. Then I did not want to interrupt what was a really good talk so I just waited here and heard what I could through the shutter.” A misunderstanding and a conflict that never existed but so easily could have led to bad feeling.

The artist is often at conflict with themselves, nothing is ever as it should be. Conflict can and does always define the final outcome of a venture. It can create aggression or fear, either emotion which can lead to a paralysis. The artist in the midst of inner conflict must remain open to the many options. By harnessing the emotions that can cause conflict we can be even more creative and what could be destructive can become affirming and a joy. This is the way of Tao.