“Go Your Own Way: Finding Beauty in the Ordinary”

This past week, as I’ve been forced to slow down and recover from my fifth back surgery, I’ve found an unexpected gift — the luxury of unhurried reading.

With coffee in hand and sunlight slipping through the blinds, I revisited words from two favorite thinkers, Ralph Marston and my friend Jim Dodson. Both speak to the quiet art of living — not the rush of achievement, but the grace of being fully present. Marston encourages us to “go our own way,” to find purpose in what we love rather than what the world rewards. Dodson, in his lyrical way, reminds us that joy is often found in the smallest acts — tending a garden, walking a dog, or simply greeting the day. Their reflections have been good medicine — not just for the body, but for the soul.

Three Points to Consider:

1. The Art of the Small
Life doesn’t always reward the loudest voices or the biggest stages. Sometimes it’s in the quiet corners — a sketch, a conversation, a sunrise — where meaning takes root. Like Dodson’s “Sunday man,” we rediscover divinity in the everyday, twixt heaven and earth.

2. The Freedom of Going Your Own Way
Marston’s call to “go your own way” is a gentle rebellion against imitation. It’s about pursuing what truly stirs your spirit — not for approval, but for joy. As artists, gardeners, and even patients in recovery, we are called to create beauty for its own sake.

3. The Healing of Doing Well
Whether painting a canvas, sweeping a floor, or taking another careful walk around the house, pride in our efforts becomes its own form of prayer. When we bring care to what we do, we transform ordinary acts into moments of grace.

Conclusion:

This week reminded me that slowing down isn’t losing ground — it’s gaining perspective. The world will always race ahead, but true contentment lives where purpose meets peace. As I return to my easel and my own “corner of the world,” I’m reminded that joy doesn’t wait for recovery; it happens in the doing.