I’m wide awake now! My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth from the dryness of smashing a pillow around my face. But, I’m a good son. I promised my departed father I’d take care of her. Yet, to be fully transparent, I’d be a liar if I did not confess that my thoughts tonight are shamefully sharp and dismissive— Especially as I reflect on the sacrifice and effort made on the part of my wife. Who does that for a mother-in-law?

I push down my 2 AM selfishness as I teeter from held-back anger and fatigue to compassion. Mindsets that lately and most embarrassingly, have grown uncomfortably familiar to me. An emotional distraction that has shadowed the creative night dreamer and optimist I am.

I submit. Are you OK? I ask her.

Yet, as I embrace the realities of my life and face an extremely exhausted emotional self, a certain clarity is coming back into my heart and mind. An inventory propelled as I review the experiences of 2021-2022 past. A year that, as I listed the responsibilities of life, led me to uproot myself, my family, and all that was familiar to me to accept a career opportunity in another state. You know! The smart choice! The secure and comfortable thing to do! Yet as the relocation progressed, and as I succeeded in fulfilling my commitments and milestones, the champagne glass quickly yellowed. Turns out, all was not as it appeared to be. Thus, begins another rebirth and acceptance of lessons learned. A chapter to fully honor my authentic self and a time to recommit to releasing all I can to you, my known and unknown audience.

If you’ve followed me over the last decade, you’ve probably listened to my soapboxes, critiqued my views, met the faces of, and heard perspectives from 100s of strangers to you. If you’ve associated or worked with me over the last 30 years, I hope we’ve shared some meaningful moments and created some palpable work. Maybe you’ve liked, or (and it’s way okay) disliked my photos, films, writings, and podcasts. But in all, I promise I’ve at least strived to be open and honest. 

It is in this vulnerability I must come clean to confess that over the last few years I’ve become a little forced. All for good intent, mind you. Had to go through the learning curve of podcast production, streaming tech, website development, crowdfunding, speaking, and so much trial and error with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and (Heaven help me) TikTok. So here it is: I’m maxed out and have decided to go back to the grassroots that got us all together in the first place— the blog world (although I will still be integrating with social channels and other ways to contribute and share).

So again, I submit.

Release myself from the worldly definitions of what it means to be a provider and trust an outlook that has consistently directed me. This a statement I do not take lightly as I consider the cultural, political, social, and economic times we are now facing. And as I open up to you, my wishes are humble. That I can be in tune with the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual promptings that are rising in me (as I did during the freeflow narrative of 2011). Able to be enlightened, directed, and helpful in connecting us in a dialogue of purpose. Just like what happened as 10s of thousands followed, contributed to, and lived forward the messages found within the stories of the original 365-day stranger-meeting challenge.

In going forward (this time with a lot fewer typos— thank you Grammarly), I’ll not be placing a deadline on when we will stop, or be trying to recreate what was (although we’ll resume a few of the ways that worked for you to share your wisdom and experience). But overall, this voyage is going to be different: Not only focused on meeting a stranger every day (although we will meet many); it will be more organic. There will be more in-the-moment writings, new social observations, fresh essays, never seen poetry, a range of mixed media stories, and perspectives from all kinds of people.

As before, I’ll be asking some of the original 365 questions. Yet, in this outreach, I’ll be incorporating an additional question: A speaking point that can grow our dialogue regarding who we are as diverse people. Hopefully, even strengthen our empathy toward others as we pause to consider what we, as individuals, are going through. That question—simply this… WHY?

I’m looking forward to seeing where we go!

Talk tomorrow my friends,

Richard