What protects you in this world from sadness and from the loss of an ability to do something? ... Work and love.

It's almost impossible to reconcile the realities of how one feels during the day, hour by hour. But I approach things not cynically.

Wonderful things happen when your brain is empty.

My dream is to walk around the world. A smallish backpack, all essentials neatly in place. A camera. A notebook. A traveling paint set. A hat. Good shoes. A nice pleated (green?) skirt for the occasional seaside hotel afternoon dance.

Soon enough it will be me struggling (valiantly?) to walk - lugging my stuff around. How are we all so brave as to take step after step? Day after day? How are we so optimistic, so careful not to trip and yet do trip, and then get up and say O.K. Why do I feel so sorry for everyone and so proud?

Flowers lead to books, which lead to thinking and not thinking and then more flowers and music, music. Then many more flowers and many more books.

The most inspiring objects are books. I have about 5,000 volumes in my home library. It's an unending source of visuals and ideas.