emerge softly—take small steps.
Our real work lies in what my mother used to call “the initiation of our daily life.” Every day we need to do our chores, create beauty, engage in pleasures and with each other, yes, but it’s when we do these normal, everyday things with the heart of an initiate that we fully learn how to live. Don’t think you have to take a giant leap or soar to great heights every time you do something—you can do it by emerging softly, looking around in gratitude and appreciation, and taking those small, uncertain steps through your day, with commitment, interest, and love. Organic, natural movement and growth is longer-lasting than bursts of success or random flickers of delight. Even seeking enlightenment is a steady, daily practice. It’s in experiencing the quiet movement that occurs in every moment of every day, whether it’s a fly buzzing at the window or a yearning to write a book, that makes us whole and happy.