October 22-B, 2022

**Atlantic Surf 10/19/2013 Oil Paint Rendered — Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ocracoke Island, North Carolina**

"By the book" is no way
to run a world,
or a life.

"Throw away the book"
and allow your deep sense/feel
for what needs to be done here/now
guide you on your path.

And when it turns out that you were wrong,
allow your deep sense/feel
for what needs to be done here/now
guide you on your path.

Intuition and instinct are not foolproof.
Both tell us that the world is flat
and the sun goes around the earth.
That does not negate the value
of intuition and instinct.

When we do not know what we are doing,
or what to do,
we keep making our best guess
until things click into place,
always trusting our felt-sense
of what is called for,
of what needs to happen.

Feeling what needs to happen
is not the same as thinking
what needs to happen.

"When in doubt, go by the book,"
is not as reliable as
"When in doubt, trust your feelings."

And keep trusting your feelings
in light of what happens when you do,
and making adjustments as necessary
all along the way.

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Published by jimwdollar

I'm retired, and still finding my way--but now, I don't have to pretend that I know what I'm doing. I retired after 40.5 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, serving churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina. I graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Austin, Texas, and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. My wife, Judy, and I have three daughters and five granddaughters within about twenty minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything. View more posts