There are few books I own that mean as much to me as The Soul of the World, "a modern book of hours," by Phil Cousineau and photographer Eric Lawton. From Lao-Tzu to Langston Hughes, the writings in this anthology really tap into some of the deeper recesses I know. The photography, god... makes me long for some other life, makes me know how much I'm missing. Still, I love it still, though it's sadly out of print.

Today, I'm officially unemployed. This is the one writing I keep in my mind, the one that makes sense of the notion of walking away from financial security for a few months, for "mental health" reasons. Funny, we think we're so civilized. The so-called "savages" are smarter than we'll ever be.

"A white explorer in Africa, anxious to press ahead with his journey, paid his porters for a series of forced marches. But they, almost within reach of their destination, set down their bundles and refused to budge. No amount of extra payment would convince them otherwise.

They said they had to wait for their souls to catch up."

Bruce Chatwin, author & explorer (1940-1989)

Today, I shall endeavour to do everything more slowly, more deliberately. I want my soul riding shotgun this fine day.

*The link to Lawton's site above allows you to buy prints of these and other phenomenal images by this photog, who is among my all-time favourites.