Here there is time 
for slow breakfasts.

There is time for 
walking in the rain &
 splashing in puddles

There is plenty of time to find the most comfortable spot for an afternoon naps 

Time for old favorites and new discoveries

And there is 
always
 time for tea.

It was mid afternoon of a pretty ordinary day for me living in Germany.  Since being overseas, I never turn on the radio but that day, I just wanted something different to listen to in the ceramic shop and I had forgotten to change the CDs out of my mini wallet. I mindlessly tuned into the American radio station.  I was in a rush through checking the kilns as I would soon have to pick up my daughter from school.

"There seems to have been an accident," the DJ said "a plane
has crashed into one of the towers in New York City."  It seemed like no big deal.  5 minutes later my husband came rushing in.. carrying his weapon and in full battle gear.  "I just wanted to tell you I love you" he said then told me what was really happening.  

The rest of the day was a blur of activity.  Our post had been locked down no cars in or out until they had a plan. The post
was set up with housing on one side, the school on the other 
and we all were frantically trying to get their kids.  

There were only 3 TV channels and they were all running the horror over and over again.  I had to turn it off and put on cartoons
a desperate attempt to preserve my child's innocence while I 
tried to make sense of what was happening.  

Those of us who had internet opened our homes so others 
could send emails.  We couldn't get through on the phones.
What I remember most about the rest of that day is wanting to 
do something to not feel so helpless.  

I began making tea and giving a cup to everyone who came in. 
In making those pots of tea, they did exactly what William Gladstone said they would do:

"If you are cold, tea will warm you; 
if you are too heated, it will cool you; 
if you are depressed, it will cheer you; 
if you are excited, it will calm you.”

Those pots of tea began to comfort and soothe, to bring the tension down, to offer love and hope.  Making those pots of tea allowed me to step out of the helplessness and into my calling.  

It was in making those pots of tea that I became a tea priestess.

This weekend found me in full geek mode going to a huge scifi/fantasy convention, DragonCon.

After not going to anything like this for several years it felt like a homecoming.  
Being around so many individuals wanting to dress up as their favorite characters from film, tv, and books and getting to meet many of the stars of the shows I love (it was a very Star Trek weekend for me) was both wonderful and overwhelming.  I also got to meet some artists that I adore and learn a little more about the mechanics that go into writing a great book.   

Being around that many people living their creative dream 
lives was a huge source of inspiration that I came home with a few ideas for my own creative dream life.  Some of these ideas are going to require me to stretch my comfort zone a bit.

Jamie aptly asks what step do you wish to take?

After con I almost always feel as though anything is 
possible and then for one reason or another I talk myself 
out of my bigness.  I don't want to do that this time.  
This time I wish to step into my bigness and stretch my 
comfort zone.