Happily Ever After

Today is August 15th. Hence-forth to be referred to as the great awakening. I woke up with a total epiphany, or more accurately I woke up with a series of epiphanies. It was like a cascading pinball darting and spinning's worth of ephiphanies. I will attempt to chronicle my insight, though I must confess it is unfolding as I type -- even before I can articulate it.

Today is the day I awoke to have all 16 illustrations for "Red, White & Blue" complete and in-the-can, so to speak. All of those years worth of considering what comes next and how to portray images, is over. Fini. Complete. That is not to say that the book is finished, but the lion's share of the effort is now in the rear view mirror. Strike up the band!!!! So as my eyelids lifted at dawn, today was indeed the first day of the rest of my life. CELEBRATE good times!!

On a complete lark I opened the drawer on my nightstand to find a favorite & forgotten book. A book of quotations...... presented graphically. I realized again (for the 13th time) I have all of the resources that I need. At my fingertips, no less. There's the book that I own. That I need. Awaiting me in my own bedside table. The book is entitled, "The Simple Art of Success" and is collected together by Kathy Wagoner. It's a book I discover every summer. All over again.

What a joy to discover it all over again this morning, on the first morning of the rest of my life, for the very first time. The quote above nearly expoded with applicability. Like a road map, specifically designed for me. Everything I need to know -- all right there in one brilliantly simple quotation. Virtue is doing it. Virtue is doing it. Virtue is doing it. Virtue is doing it. Focus, Deborah. The finish line is in view. Virtue is doing it.

Not a bad sunset, either.