Collaboration has become so important to me.  It is without a doubt very difficult.   What I specifically mean is in regards to creating and solving a problem.  I believe it is something that is so critical for success in our day and time.  This is being highlighted by most recently when I have begun to see images (television and social media) that are myopic in viewpoint.    I just have gotten to a point where it becomes tiresome to try and do anything alone.  Maybe my interpretation of collaboration is too broad. 
    It sometimes begins at encouragement.  It can just be love.  Showing love for another's aspiration(s) has encouraged me to continue down a personal path.  The path is the thing in life, not just the goal. The path gives us opportunity to interact with so many souls.  Invite them in.  Don't drive by collaboration. I have felt fear of bringing them into my life.  Will they attempt to commandeer my passion?  Will I have empathy for their journey in such a way that my way is lost?  Whatever the trepidation, it doesn't matter. Our paths have been enriched by collaboration whatever the outcome. 

   Despite the chaos that I feel is around the beginning of 2017, I believe in this year.  I believe in this life.  
Sometimes I get knocked personally for seeing the stars while the earth shakes but it is me.  It's how I feel.  It is easy to let others beef and complain about the tribulations of the world.  The energy that I feel when I hear the veiled negativity needs to be balanced.  Balanced with the beauty of life.  Living in the present moment is what I am learning to do.  Like anyone else, I can feel the fear build up when I turn on the news or look at my feed.  It is not real.  It is an illusion we create to help us create meaning when sometimes we don't see meaning.  When you look at your loved one that is real.  When you hug your friend that is real. 
 
     Despite the reality that your world is beautiful, we all look for the shoe to drop.  What is he going to say next?  What is she going to do with him or her?  We look for these demons to appear because they are within us.  Every time we do something we are not supposed to do, we create a little demonic reflection.  We wish to take that reflection and transfer its energy to somewhere else.  We hate it.  Sometimes we hate ourselves.  We wish to free these demons and we think their energy should be somewhere else. 
 
    We can exorcise these demons and thoughts by thinking about things in the terms of "Despite".  When we are faced with the inevitable adversity, think of what grandeur is around us despite the situation.  It's hard, for us to do this,  but we must make it our mandate.  We are here to enjoy the universe.  We are here to give energy of love.  We live and love despite the demons.

     I am going through some things these days.  Starting out a new year, you begin to realize you have more days behind than in front (unless we can come up with some technology) and I have to say I feel pumped.  We had a staged reading of one of my plays the first week of January.  I really appreciated everyone that was a part of it.  It is such a great omen of what a bountiful year this will be.  There are so many things to accomplish and so little time.   I do feel up for the challenge.  I have organized my life and I have put what is important in the front.  The journey of life is so clear to me.  I have finally  opened my eyes.