In the bleak mid-winter

I know its not just me...

Christmas has all been put away,

the evenings no longer sparkle with fairy lights

and, even with the expected January 'warmup' giving us a taste of spring,

the atmosphere -

 and reality -

 seems somehow stripped bare; 

reduced to the most basic 

and boring.

The retreat came at just the right time...

the perfect combination of

spirit (prayer),

vision (painting)

and hearing

(Tibetan singing bowls);

all serving as reminders 

that there is still beauty and color;

all encouraging me to get rid of 

the last truck full of temptation

 and refocus on what's important - 

playing!

and

 although, clearly, 

I won't please everyone!