Breakfast in the Castro: The Very Thought of You

Mibes: Good morning!

Me: Good to see you my friend.

Mibes: Good to see you, looking happy, alive, ready for whatever the world sends your way.

Me: The thing I'm ready for is one of your hugs.

Mibes: (hugging me) Happy to oblige.

Me: Now I feel alive again. I'm not so sure I'm ready for anything the world sends my way. But breakfast might help.

Mibes: Sounds good to me. That's why we're here. Food and friendship.

Me: Calories and conversation.

Mibes: I've missed you.

Me: I've missed you, too. I had some rough days, but a few good ones too. I guess it all averages out to something less than "looking happy" but I'll take it.

Mibes: You could've fooled me. I've seen you healthy and sick, loving life and having a hard time holding on. You don't look sad to me.

Me: You should have seen me about two minutes before I saw you. I was telling myself, you've got to cheer up. Notice the beauty. You don't want Mibes to see you all dark and dreary

Mibes: You didn't want me to see you down? So you smiled anyway and told yourself to cheer up?

Me: Yes and no. True, I was discouraged and did give myself a little pep talk. But as soon as I saw you walking toward me my mood changed. You had a little bounce in your step and it was easy for me to feel that energy.

Mibes: Aw, you're sweet. I'm glad you're in a better mood, that you really do feel better, but you don't need to do any contortions with me.

Me: I know, but I wanted you to know that just being with you can change my whole attitude.

Mibes: Thanks I feel the same way about you, even when I'm not with you, thinking about you brings brightens up day.

Me: (singing under my breath) It's just the thought of you (laughter)

Mibes: (joining the laughter, then also also singing) and I forget to do

Me: the little ordinary things that everyone ought to do

Mibes: I'm living in some kind of daydream, I'm happy as a king

Me: As in Nat King Cole? Or Sinatra?

Mibes: Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, or Diana Krall?

Me: Ah Mibes. I love you.

Mibes: Yes you do and I love you. But there's something else going on here.

Me: Yup, we're having breakfast.

Mibes: Yes, but even beyond that, I love the idea of you and you seem to love the idea of me. 

Me: Yeah, like we sang, the very thought of you, right? So if you love the person, don't you also just naturally love the idea of the person, too?

Mikes: It depends. I love my work. Usually. But even when it's not the best of days, I like the idea of my work, that what I'm doing makes a difference, even if I can't see it because I'm in weeds that day.

Me: So back to us. You could be really unhappy with me, but like, love the idea of of me?

Mibes: Kind of. I'm not expressing myself very well.

Me: Well just so you know, I like you, love you, here and now, more than the idea. The real person sitting right in front of me, eating his scrambled eggs and bacon.

Mibes: And I love the guy in front of me, the one with the chocolate croissant and the blueberry banana smoothie. The guy who thinks all those carbs are somehow healthy.

Me: Your bacon looks good.

Mibes: Here have a slice, I don't need two.

Me: Mibes, you're so kind. I sometimes wonder if you're real. When will I get to see the guy who sometimes loses it?

Mibes: You already have. Remember how when we were walking and that car almost hit you?

Me: Yes, you shouted three words: a verb, the word "you" and an anatomical description. One of the best moments of my life, actually.

Mibes: You almost get killed and it's one of the best moments of your life?

Me: Yes, I escaped death and injury and I saw such passion in you.

Mibes: Not just an emotional range of three notes?

Me: More like a full orchestra. Such a moment.

Mibes: As is this.

Me: As is this. And thanks for listening.

Mikes: You're easy on the ears and the eyes, you know. 

Me: As are you my friend. As are you. 

( Here's one of the Ella versions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKq4CXsK9pA#t=58 )

Breakfast in the Castro - Zing, Zig and Zag

Mibes: Well, good morning, to you. Good to see you again.

Me: I'm glad to see you too. Should we just get the hugging over with right now?

Mibes: What?

Me: So we can talk. I want to talk but I want a hug, too.

Mibes: We always do both, I don't know why this morning would be any different, but here you go. (Giving me another one of his trademark bear hugs.)

Me: mmmmm. Much better. Now I can talk.

Mibes: You've never had any trouble talking. But, please, go ahead.

Me: I'm glad you're willing to listen.

Mibes: I'm glad you're willing to join me for breakfast. I do miss you when you're not available. But I understand you've got lots going on.

Me: Well I was sitting down and writing out my morning prayer and I realized I hadn't told you something important.

Mibes: You were writing to God when we could have been having breakfast?

Me: No, it's not like that. I couldn't have met you that morning. But in a way I did meet you because I was writing about what I was thankful for and it was mostly about you and the way you see the world.

Mibes: Oh my, this does sound serious. Tell me more.

Me: I was thanking God for all the verbs in my life. The ability to accomplish, build, care, decide, encourage. Whole list of stuff.

Mibes: Alphabetical I see. You like to do that don't you?

Me: It does provide some structure. But here's the thing. The longer I made the list the more I thought about you. And how I needed to let you know how I'm grateful for you and all that you've done and are doing and will do.

Mibes: (ha ha) This is good. I think you're going to make my day with your list. But I already know you appreciate me. And I appreciate you. We've really got a remarkably reciprocal friendship.

Me: Yes, yes. I know. I love it. I love you. But this list. I'd never shared it with you before.

Mibes: Now you listen a moment. I know how you feel. I know you appreciate me because I appreciate you for similar reasons.

Me: But you haven't heard my list.

Mibes: But I know you. I have an idea of what's on it. You get kind of gushy in the mornings and so I'm guessing it's going to be a list of idealized actions, stuff that makes the world a better place.

Me: OK, maybe this is one of those rainbows we shouldn't try to deconstruct.

Mibes: I don't think of it a deconstruction. I think it's just good conversation. So let me guess. You left off with encourage.  So maybe you continued on with find, give, help, invigorate, join, keep and love. How'd I do?

Me: Lousy. I went with elevate, facilitate, gather, hope, investigate, keep and learn.  

Mibes: See. We agreed on keep, give and gather are close, you gather before you give and when you give you gather, help and hope go together, find and facilitate. I wasn't far off.

Me: Yes you were. You're just making fun of me now.

Mikes: On the contrary. You've done what I thought you'd do. Like I said earlier, you've chosen verbs that are all about ideals. You're hopelessly and wonderfully altruistic.

Me: But I'm not writing about me. I'm writing about you. And thanking you.

Mibes: It's great. I'm touched. I'm glad to hear your words. But here's the deal. I'm always glad to see you. Words or not. That's why I've tried to emphasize I'm good for breakfast anytime. Even if it's closer to midnight than sunrise.

Me: I thought I was going to impress you.

Mikes: You do. You are. Always have. Can't imagine a time you wouldn't.

Me:  ahhh. (shaking my head) So you want to hear the rest of my list?

Mibes: I don't need to. But I'd love to. Yes, go right ahead.

Me: How 'bout we make it game. I'll give you my three and you give me your three.

Mibes: Sure.

Me: You're bored now, aren't you?

Mibes: No, I'm not bored. I'm amused. And I am game for your game, so go right ahead.

Me: OK. move, note and organize

Mibes: make, notice and open

Me: plan, question, reconsider

Mibes: prosper, quote, read

Me: strengthen, trust, understand

Mibes: stand, satisfy, try

Me: understand, volunteer, work

Mibes: unify, view, wonder

Me: x-ray, yearn, zing

Mibes: xerox, yield, zig and zag

Me: Whew! You did it. I did it. We did it. Thanks for playing along. 

Mibes: Just remember that all of those wonder words that you think apply to me, I know they actually belong to you. You're just projecting.

Me: How do you know that you're not the one who's projecting?

Mibes: Maybe we both are.

Me: Probably. Thanks! And thanks for the hug.

Mibes: Here's another one to send you on your way. (Bear hug #2)

Me: And thanks for listening.

Mikes: You're easy on the ears and the eyes, you know. 

Me: As are you my friend. As are you.

Breakfast in the Castro: Butterflies in Praise of Doubt

Mibes: Good morning, I'm so glad to see you again.

Me: Good morning. Wonderful to see you, too. How have you been?

Mibes: You know my standard answer, healthy and strong.

Me: But how are you really?

Mibes: Fairly healthy, fairly strong. I'm really only as good as you can imagine me to be since you're the one with his hands on they keys.

Me: But you're real to me. 


Mibes: As I should be. You're the writer here. You either give me life or silence. I'm glad you've come back. I'll take life over invisibility.

Me: You're a funny one. But I love you, so much more than I can say. I'm glad you're willing to meet me.

Mibes: I'm glad you're willing to write me.

Me: We there we go then, we've both got something to be glad about.

Mibes: It has been a while. The 7.2 billion people on the planet are now 7.3. But you've still got a place in my heart, always and forever. And I think you need to be reminded you're absolutely the only one of you. No one has ever lived your live. Had your life. None of the billions before you, not one of the billions who will follow.

Me: But that's true for the other 7.3. Just because we're all different doesn't mean we don't have huge things in common.

Mibes: I agree. We all will have a year marking our birth and then a dash and a year marking our death. XXXX - YYYY


Me: And we all do ask yyyy don't we?

Mibes: Oh the punster emerges. Nice one.

Me: Easy one. So do you have advice for me?

Mibes: I do, actually. I'm glad to hear that you're re-reading Carol Lynn's "Consider the Butterfly" that you turned to her last entry on gratitude and found that to be an affirmation of your prayers. Keep working on that one. On the gratitude. That's my one word of advice. Gratitude.

Me: Maybe that's why we're again having breakfast. I've realized again how grateful I am for you.

Mibes: Maybe. Or you're just hungry. Tired of breakfast in the car on the way to work. But, yes, gratitude does make a difference. A huge difference. You know it. You've lived it. And I think it can help also with your concerns about counterfeiting, uh, I mean name-calling.

Me: Zing. You're in touch with all that?

Mibes: Well I do tend to read what you read. 


Me: Then you know how much I liked the title "In Praise of Doubt" at the library yesterday. Enough to check it out. Even though I've never heard of Peter Berger and Anton Zijderveld.

Mibes: Ol' Pete and Anton? Same here. Never heard of 'em. But a great title. And not a bad quote on page five.


Me: Love it. And here it is, "there's also the broader category of 'popular Protestantism'--that is groups that aren't commonly perceived as Protestant but whose religious and social characteristics have Protestant flavor. The most successful of these are the Mormons..."

Mibes: And you smile at the implication that Mormons might be counterfeiters of the genuine Protestant approach? And gratitude about that perspective. Gratitude for "In Praise of Doubt"? There's a twist.


Me: You said it, not me.

Mibes: But you wrote it. You checked out the book. Looked in the index for Mormons. You gotta own this one.

Me: Fair enough. Now where's my hug?


Mibes: Right here. Always here. Just like James Taylor sings it, "You just call out my name and you know wherever I am, I'll come runnin' to see you again. Winter spring summer or fall, all you gotta do is call and I'll be there, yes I will. You've got a friend. Ain't it good to know you've got a friend?" 

Me: Gotta love Carole King. And I love you, Mibes. Love you. Who you are. Your kindness. You, as you are now. As you've been and are and will be. Your smile. Your tears. Your heart. Every remaining hair on your balding head.

Mibes: Not as much I love you. "When my soul was in the lost and found. You came along to claim it."

Me: That's it. I'm definitely going to spend some time with Tapestry tonight.

Mibes: Me too.

Breakfast in the Castro - Mr. Bearded Blue Eyes

Mibes: Good morning, how was your trip? How are you?

(We embrace, longer than usual, both enjoying the moment.)

Me: Good morning, Mibes! Trip was OK, I'm OK, but I've missed you so. How are you?

Mibes: Healthy and strong. But not as happy when you're out of town.

Me: Aw Mibes, you make me melt. I'm glad you're feeling strong and healthy. And I'm glad you missed me. Not that you've been unhappy, but its nice to know that when I'm gone, someone cares, that you're glad to see me when I get back.

Mibes: You've sometimes returned home and haven't been welcomed?

Me: Some of my loved-ones aren't exactly of the hugging variety. 

Mibes: But they do say they've missed you, that they're glad you've returned?

Me: Sometimes.

Mibes: And sometimes not?

Me: Sometimes.

Mibes: Well just remember that of all the 7.2 billion people on this planet, you've got a permanent place in my heart. I'm always going to miss you when you're gone. I'm always going to give you a hug. 

Me: I know I'm not your one-and-only, but I'm glad to be one-of-the-ones you love.

Mibes: Always. But you are the one-and-only you.

Me: And you are the one-and-only Mibes.

Mibes: No other two people could have the same relationship because they can't bring the same things to the friendship. They're not up for breakfast in the Castro like we are. They're eating a breakfast bar, if that. 

Me: I'm glad I'm not eating a breakfast bar. 

Mibes: I'm glad you're glad. I'm glad to see you. I'm glad to see you smiling.

Me: It feels so good just to be with you. I met someone on the trip who reminded me of you. Not physically. He was shorter, stalkier, bearded, balding, intense blue eyes. 

Mibes: That's not me at all. 

Me: But the conversation was easy, friendly, natural. 

Mibes: Some of my best qualities. Even if I have brown eyes.

Me: I love your eyes.

Mibes: And I love that you notice eyes. Whether they're mine or Mr. Bearded Blue Eyes, you notice. You're aware, you're appreciative.

Me: I've got to get to work.

Mibes: Me, too.

Me: I love you, Mibes. 

Mibes: I love being loved. I love you. I love it when you've been gone and I've been blue, because then you return and we talk just like we always have. 

(We hug, again a bit longer than usual.)

Mibes: Thanks, I needed that.

Me: Same here. Enjoy your day.

Mibes: You, too.

Breakfast in the Castro - Chemistry

Mibes: Great to see you. It's our first breakfast of the New Year. 

Me: (hugging him) Happy New Year, Mibes!

Mibes: Did you stay up late on the 31st?

Me: In my own way. I listened to fireworks.

Mibes: Because they woke you up?

Me: No, I was awake, just not outside looking skyward.

Mibes: Plenty of opportunity to do that in the light of day.

Me: What?

Mibes: Look skyward.

Me: How 'bout you. How was your night?

Mibes: Not bad, given the circumstances. Maybe I've caught your cold. I don't know. I went to bed early. Didn't sleep great. But I'm glad to see you.

Me: As am I to see you. 

Mibes: There is a certain chemistry, isn't there?

Me: Yes. Interesting that you'd mention chemistry, because I've got a quote on it.

Mibes: Why am I not surprised.

Me: Karl Jung said, "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact between two chemical substances, if there's any reaction both are transformed."

Mibes: So you're being transformed, are you?

Me: One breakfast at a time.

Mibes: You're up for more breakfasts in 2015?

Me: I am. As long as you are.

Mibes: That makes three of us.

Me: Huh? 

Mibes: You, me and our friendship.

Breakfast in the Castro - Music and Mating

Mibes: Good morning!

Me: Good morning, Mibes. You look deep in thought.

Mibes: I was just thinking about you. It's a deep subject.

Me: I've got less depth than you think.

Mibes: I doubt it. For example what have you been thinking about since we talked?

Me: Just how I can look better in the New Year.

Mibes: The truth.

Me: Really, my appearance. It's true enough. I've been thinking improved fitness. A little. A few thoughts about it.

Mibes: And?

Me: To be honest I keeping returning to the old subject of gratitude. That's mostly what I've been thinking about.

Mibes: How so?

Me: That it's a theme or a strand that runs through my life with both positives and negatives.

Mibes: What do you mean?

Me: That when I've had the mindfulness to be grateful, I've been happier and more productive, and also that when I've let my let my gratitude get blurry, that's when I've felt less hopeful, even at one point hopeless. Feeling that my life was without hope, without purpose. That it was all a mistake. But it's hard to think that way when I consider all there's been to be grateful for.

Mibes: But isn't that all about looking back? You're not looking ahead.

Me: Yes and no. When my gratitude is in focus, I think it's like a panorama stretching across time. I can see how the past has contributed to where I am now and how I might build on that for the future.

Mibes: Like a timeline that stretches from your birth to the present. And beyond that.

Me: Well I hadn't thought of it as a timeline, but that works. Yes. You're right. It starts before my birth. If I'm seeking to be glad about my life, it only seems fair to be glad about what led up to it.

Mibes: You're parents being in love?

Me: Yes, but way beyond that. I like music, not just because my parents liked it, but because it's part of the human and bird world.

Mibes: Birds? You're all over the place this morning.

Me: I don't know. I'm just guessing that some of the first human singing may have been in imitation of bird calls or other animals. Maybe to lure pray with a false mating call. And that music developed from those primitive sounds.

Mibes: Ah music and mating.

Me: And things that go with it. Pair bonding. Oxytocin.

Mibes: So you're saying you're grateful for your mammalian hormones?

Me: Those and millions of other things. The cells of my body. Water. Air. Food. Basic stuff.

Mibes: Just those surface things.

Me: Ok, you got me. Yeah, I've been thinking about big picture stuff like that. And seeking to be aware of that big picture, and grateful for my snowflake in that snowstorm.

Mibes: Your snowflake?

Me: Individuality.

Mibes: How you're one-of-a-kind like a snowflake?

Me: Yes but all the other snowflakes, too. Being a part of this human family. This human mammalian family. Here on this planet together. And all the millions of lives and millions of years that are part of that history.

Mibes: I'm glad you can find gratitude in that.

Me: And gratitude for you, for our friendship. For the bond we share.

Mibes:  I'm grateful for that, too. (Giving me a hug.) And you look better when you're smiling like that.

Me: Yup, I'm all about appearances. That's about it. That and that I love you, Mibes. More than you know.

Mibes: I love you, too. Even more. Even more than you know. Keep looking for those panoramas.

Me: Try it yourself. Let me know what you see.

Mibes: Sure. Happy to give it a try. Thanks!

Breakfast in the Casto - A Place in My Heart

Mibes: Well you survived yet another Christmas, congratulations!

Me: You're so cynical. I didn't survive, I thrived. It's my favorite time of the year. It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Mibes: Stop with the Andy Williams lyrics. I remember when you said you prefer Thanksgiving. You can't have two first places.

Me: If two holidays cross the finish line at the same time you can.

Mibes: But the truth is what?

Me: The truth is that I enjoy some parts of the holidays more than others.

Mibes: And?

Me: I love some of the lights, some of the music and the focus on giving. It's a season of increased hope. Of some welcome moments of peace and perspective.

Mibes: But some of the music and spending drives you nuts.

Me: Only if I let it all get to me.

Mibes: So how much did it get to you this year?

Me: Not as much as some other years.

Mibes: What made the difference?

Me: I tried to live more in the moment.

Mibes: How did that go?

Me: There were some great moments. Like watching the snow fall. Or seeing the twinkle in someone's eyes.

Mibes: You don't need Christmas for that.

Me: No. But I think one of the things I learned again this year is to look for the moments. I don't intend to stop that just because December 25 is over.

Mibes: Anything else?

Me: Yes. Some lyrics.

Mibes: A favorite song?

Me: Not really until this year. But something really got to me about The Star Carol this year.

Mibes: "Dear baby Jesus how tiny thou art. I'll make a place for thee in my heart."

Me: How did you know?

Mibes: I do know you.

Me: So how was your celebration? How was the open house?

Mibes: Delicious, festive. And I did get to wish an old friend Merry Christmas.

Me: Sounds like some good moments for you, too.

Mibes: Several. But it was strange, too.

Me: Why's that?

Mibes: His reply to me was "Merry merry, to you."

Me: That doesn't sound too strange to me. Sounds like he returned your greeting.

Mibes: It wasn't in the words but the way he said it. Perfunctory. His heart wasn't in it.

Me: But your heart was. That counts.

Mibes: It does. And there were other moments. Moments like yours. Things to remember and treasure.

Me: (hugging him) I love you, Mibes. Christmastime, anytime. Winter, summer, spring, fall.

Mibes: You're such a romantic.

Me: As are you.

Breakfast in the Castro - Celebration

Mibes: Good to see you again. How are you?

Me: Feeling better thanks, but still coughing. You'd better not hug me.

Mibes: (hugging me) I'm pretty resilient.

Me: Good to see you, too. How's it going?

Mibes: I've missed you, but I think we've both needed some down time. It's given me a chance to enjoy some quiet moments.

Me: Down time. That fits right in with a quotation I've saved. (tapping on his phone) "Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much to have of each. Finding them in each other--activity in rest and rest in activity--is the ultimate freedom."

Mibes: Nice one. Who said it?

Me: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in his book Celebrating Silence.

Mibes: Sounds a bit like the serenity prayer about accepting things you can't change and changing things you can. That mix of the two.

Me: Found it. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." Reinhold Niebuhr.

Mibes: Speaking of celebrating, what are your Christmas plans?

Me: Some music, some reading. I may listen to midnight mass on the radio. You?

Mibes: I'm invited to a Christmas open house. Lots of food. Some friends and of course some people I don't know. Maybe some singing, depending on when I get there, but like you, I'll also enjoy some music when I'm alone.

Me: Will you think about stars and angels singing and a couple who couldn't find a place to stay and a baby born in a stable? And what all that's about?

Mibes: When I hold babies at Christmastime I do sometimes think of those things.

Me: I hope you will tonight. Hold a baby at the party. Think of angels and stars and miracles.

Mibes: I'll do it if I can. But it's not hard for me to think of miracles.

Me: Why's that?

Mibes: Certain people in my life. You, for example.

Me: I'm a miracle?

Mibes: You are to me.

Me: I don't feel too miraculous.

Mibes: Well you've been sick. I get it. But your life, here and now, in this moment. It's a miracle whether you're healthy or sick. Because you're here. There's only one of you. Seven billion people on the planet and only one of you. 

Me: 7.2 billion. And there's only one of you.

Mibes: Two miracles and a third, too, and that's our friendship.

Me: Aw, Mibes. You're awfully easy to love.

Mibes: Merry Christmas, my friend. I love you, too.

Me: Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Mibes. Merry Christmas to you.

Breakfast in the Castro - Three Factors

Me: Mibes, you’re back. I’m glad to see you.
Mibes: I’m glad to be back and to see you. How are you?
Me: In need of a hug. 
Mibes: (hugs me tightly) Done! 
Me: And you, how are you, how was your meeting?
Mibes: Just a meeting. I’d rather have been with you. 
Me: Well the break did give me a chance to think about the paradox of less being more. I’ve waited years for a friendship like ours. Was the scarcity of a reciprocal friendship part of what makes this so welcome?
Mibes: Maybe, but I think everyone needs a real friend. Not just the fair-weather kind. Not just the Facebook variety. 
Me: I’m guessing not to many Facebook friends will be willing to meet you for breakfast. 
Mibes: Depends on their love of morning, and breakfast and the person.
Me: And a not liking anyone of the three could be enough to kill the idea.
Mibes: Fortunately in your case, I happen to love mornings and breakfasts.
Me: Thanks, so much!
Mibes: Speaking of mornings, how are you doing on the early-to-bed, early-to-rise regimen?
Me: It’s coming along slowly. I feel like I’m inching closer to before 11:00 at night and before 6:00 in the morning.
Mibes: You could track the actual times. 
Me: I could. And I will. And I can also look for supportive ideas.
Mibes: You could. (taps a search into his phone)
Me: Of course I can expect you to help me get started. 
Mibes: “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise.”  Attributed to Ted Turner.
Me: I like it. 
Mibes: Well go find some more ideas and track your times and let me know.  
Me: (hugging Mibes) I’ll do that. Love you, Mibes!
Mibes: Love you more.

Breakfast in the Castro - Pause

Got a text from Mibes this morning: Can't make it today. Have an early morning meeting. See you tomorrow. 

Breakfast in the Castro - Broken Keys

Me: Good morning, Mibes.

_{Mibes: (He stands up from the table and we embrace.) Good morning! So good to see you again. How are you?}

_{Me: Still not the usual energy. But I went to bed early and am feeling better than I did last night. And, you?}

_{Mibes: No complaints. I’m glad to be alive. Glad to be here with you.}

_{Me: How’s your creative life, Mibes? Are you still writing and producing?}

_{Mibes: Thanks for asking. Seems like I finish one project and two others are waiting for me. A game of Whack a Mole.}

_{Me: I know that feeling. What’s your secret to getting it done, day in and day out?}

_{Mibes: Great question. I don’t know that I have any secrets. Some of it is habit and the need for income. But I also recognize I have a need to feel like I’m making a difference. I think my work helps others. But I don’t know. Goals and gratitude also help. What about you?}

_{Me: I agree with what you’ve said above but I’d add to it asking questions and being comfortable with a question hanging there.}

_{Mibes: Sounds a bit like prayer. You ask for an answer or for help and then you wait. Sometimes you have an immediate insight, but sometimes there’s just silence.}

_{Me: Yes. And it’s being Ok with the silence. I just finished an evaluation of a project and I realized that I’d built right into the structure of it that I’d wait for a theme to emerge from the initial research. I didn’t try to push for something I didn’t have, but I felt some confidence that something would emerge.}

_{Mibes: And it did?}

_{Me: Sooner and more organically that I had imagined.}

_{Mikes: So finding the approach you want to use is a matter of asking questions and waiting until the answer emerges. And being patient with that process even when you’re on deadline?}

_{Me: That’s a fair summary. Reminds me of the idea that if you’re playing a piano with broken keys, you’ve just got to go with the notes that you can play.}

_{Mibes: You’re into playing broken pianos these days?}

_{Me: Oh yeah. Got a whole warehouse full of them.}

_{Mibes: We’ll have to talk more about projects and productivity.}

_{Me: I’d enjoy that. (gives Mibes a hug)}

_{Mibes: And I’ve enjoyed our breakfast. Hope your day goes well.}

_{Me: You, too. I love you Mibes.}

_{Mibes: I love you more.}

_{Me: Not as much as I love you.}

_{Mibes: Sounds like a topic we need to keep discussing.}

Breakfast in the Castro - Time

Mibes: Good morning!

_{Me: Good morning! (We hug for a moment.)}

_{Mibes: How’s life?}

_{Me: I’m a bit sleepy, a bit groggy, but OK, thanks and you?}

_{Mibes: I’m OK. Thanks. Glad to be here. In just a couple of weeks our time together here has become one of the best parts of my day.}

_{Me: Yes, same here. It’s always good to see you. We’ve been on the planet together, but haven’t seen each other much, until now.}

_{Mibes: Now, this moment. Time always passing. Reminds me of that old John Denver song: What a friend we have in time, gives us children, makes us wine. Tells us what to take or leave behind.}

_{Me: I haven’t thought about that for a long time. It kind of goes along with this Chinese proverb though: An inch of time on the sundial is worth more than a foot of jade.}

_{Mibes: I wish I had more time this morning, but I’ve got to head out for a meeting.}

_{Me: Good to see you. Good to be with you. Make the most of your moments.}

_{Mibes: You too. (We embrace and then head our separate ways.)}