It’s a Leap Year, little frogs. Imagine being born on February 29, the day that realigns the solar calendar! Imagine marking your actual natal day every four years: what a rich celebration it would be!
Sure, a lot can happen in a year. And of course leap babies celebrate annually, usually on February 28 or March 1. But each time the actual Leap day comes around, even more has transpired.
Gardening wisdom asserts that the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps and the third year it leaps: it takes time to extend strong roots and summon force and momentum. Several years of successes, setbacks and surprises add up. And upon review, these chapters can offer focus and insight for the future. Leap babies get to define and celebrate eras.
Here’s to all of us leaping into a new creative era of scratching out inspiration. Here’s to inspired goal setting, to planting, waiting, instigating, resting, looking back, and planning ahead. Here’s to staying organized to meet deadlines–and reimagining them when needed. Here’s to being persistent and just doing the work even when it feels dumb and bad and we feel like no one is helping or watching. Here’s to spending more time in the little room. Just doing the work in any form possible is a privilege. And it’s courageous.
When the MCC awarded me an Artist Fellowship this month, my heart leapt. It did feel amazing to have my work recognized, a reassuring honor and a nudge to continue with my performing, writing, recording, teaching and composing endeavors. Through award years and through quieter eras of being industrious and staying tuned in to all the great work around me, I am grateful that creativity can only grow, the more I go.
Leap, little frogs!