You (and anyone else) can find the original 7M photo of “new leaves” here for whatever wall paper you would like to use it for.

And as for Rosa the duckling, well, that really quacks me up! [Such pun-ishment! Moan!]

My second thought; toss the work altogether; I’d love to be that duck!

Then, “courage of new growth?” Sure, why not! Would so love to have your last photo wallpapering every room of my house, yet at this moment I am sooo content having it line the chambers of my heart.

Freedom has long been a favorite word, and a constant mission, and having the freedom to reinvent and recycle is such a blessing. We hit “refresh” in countless ways; Dick Richards, you are an inspiration too, so much so! We are the self-employed worker-dreamers who CAN take a weekday walk and notice reflections in puddles, then return to a keyboard with gifts in our heart, crafted of our mana‘o [our deepest thoughts and convictions, our self-truth] and of the friendships we celebrate and thrive within. Poor needy us, who wear our emotions as blog posts, email missives and journal entries… blessed are we poor coaches and consultants, the ‘luxuries’ of the business world.

Your photos lift my spirit today Dan, and your voice cheers my heart as it always does. We know how wise you are, and your greatest wisdom is in how you make us want to play. For the rest of today I think I will be Rosa the duckling.

This post took me so many places. To the months after 9/11, when my consulting business fell through the floor and I decided I’d had enough anyway. To palling around with Peter Koestenbaum, one of America’s best kept secrets. To a day on a lake or a river with a camera and my thoughts. Or a fly rod.

Muddy paths, ducks, cherry blossoms…all those pregnant images.

To this variation on a common saying, “When one door closes another opens. But it can be hell in the hallway.”

And “the courage of new growth.”

This entire post is flat-out beautiful my friend.