Graceful Parenting in Austin

There is no reason for art. That is why I want it, need it and love it. Because when I make the space and take the time to just listen and watch and see what happens, I’m not being productive or efficient. I’m not accomplishing measurable goals. I’m not continuously improving my relationships. I’m not trying or planning or doing anything and it feels really good…

Blue Eyes, Baby Girl and I went to First Night Austin last night and it was pretty much a miracle.

There were so many reasons not to go. I wasn’t feeling well, there would be traffic and trouble parking, Noel was with her Mom, Baby Girl was to young to know what was going on, we didn’t even know what First Night was, and there was football, beer, friends and a warm house ready and waiting for us, so why make things complicated?

But we decided to go anyway to see the parade. There wasn’t any traffic, we didn’t have trouble parking and we got a spot on Congress Avenue right up front. I must have been in a funky mood, because instead of thinking this was all really cool, I thought it meant the parade probably wouldn’t be very good.

I was SOOOO wrong. I saw people living and breathing art. Not big, fancy museum art that is hard to understand, but folky, real-people art that is fun and colorful and involving a bicycle a lot of the time.

An accomplished writer would describe the scene here, but I’m a novice blogger and the pictures here tell a better story.

I’m glad we went. I’m glad we made the space and took the time to just listen and watch and see what happens.