I am a poet and a gardener (both ornamental and ecological — personal and formerly professional) Now retired, I travel seasonally as a snowbird and try to “belong” to two separate communities (at least) and often felt like I was never fully “present” in either place. I’ve been working on this problem (blessing?) for a while and it is teaching me more and more about how to let go and how to be present. I am ready to devote more time to my poetry while wishing to continue to contribute to the greater communities I belong. Recently, while writing a press release for an upcoming event for a prairie group I belong to, I was surprised by a perplexing conflict I had with the event leader from what seemed to come out of no where. Your story, David, your exhaustion at that time of your life particularly touches me and opens me to the possibility that I might be at an edge and ready to reorganize my priorities. It also fills me with compassion for the event leader, whom I believe is feeling quite stressed and losing the “love” in her endeavor to restore the natural area because she is overworked. I am torn between two things again. Do I wholeheartedly jump in and relieve some of her stress by taking on more work at the natural area or do I find the time to finally start revising and working on all those poem snippets quietly waiting in my poetry journal? I am the wobbling swan seeking the water. So very glad I found this e-course and am sharing it with friends.