Marlow's Musings 4/20/25
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
Yesterday was one of those days in Spring when the sun warms enough to counter the wind. That is, until a cloud passes by, and then you are left wanting for a jacket.
We stood with our daughter and son-in-law as our two youngest grandchildren waited expectantly to venture out into the field filled with plastic eggs. They and what seemed like a thousand other kids waited to start the Easter Egg Hunt.
While many raced to get every egg they could grab, there was no rush for ‘S’ who is 3 and ‘M’ who is one. More the fun of walking with mom and dad, finding the eggs in front of them.
They made quite a haul, though the smiley face slinky toys seemed the most prized treasure.
It brought to mind an egg hunt when I was five, held in Collett Park—even then, a century-old fixture in that part of town. The park was filled with giant maple trees and Spring beauties, those tiny, delicate wildflowers that are often the first to carpet the ground when winter retreats.
Hundreds of kids from little ones to near teenagers lined up to race throughout the park. A whistle blew, and there was an insane rush to find eggs and other prizes. The most coveted was a large golden egg. To this day, I have no idea what the person who found it received, only that I almost got it.
Walking around, I spied a large piece of bark sitting on the ground away from any tree. I stopped for a moment and wondered if that might be where the Golden Egg was hidden.
As I stood over it, an older boy rushed in, bumping me, almost knocking me down. He reached down, picked up the bark, and revealed the Golden Egg.
For years, I cursed that moment of hesitation, pondering rather than taking action. In time, I realized this was my first memory of intuition's spark—a flash of insight from quiet observation. Acting on those insights would come much later in life.
In much of my coaching and continuous improvement work, I use a parable to give people a sense of what the journey of transforming our work and life will be like.
Imagine a stream of rushing water with a few large boulders visible on the surface. Our early work is to remove those boulders we see. Once all the boulders are out, it would on the surface seem that our work is done.
Instead, the assignment continues as we begin the next phase, lowering the water level.
As the water level drops, more rocks are revealed, and frustration begins to set in as, instead of a clear stream, we find there are many smaller boulders that need to be removed.
On and on the work goes, extracting the visible stones and lowering the water until our stream is finally clear.
Whether, like me, you observe Easter as a part of your faith journey or see it in the context of the rebirth of Spring, we can all draw on the power present in this time of year. The promise of redemption, renewal and release. Lowering the creek, removing the hidden rocks, and the people we become along the way may be what this day is all about.
Word of the Week
Release (v./n.)
/rəˈlēs/
1: To set free from restraint, confinement, or servitude
2: To let go or relinquish hold or control of something
From Old French relaissier (to release, let go), ultimately from Latin relaxare (to loosen, stretch out), this word captures the deliberate act of letting go. It represents the conscious choice to open one's grip—whether on physical objects, emotional burdens, or fixed ideas.
Release operates in the space between holding on and freedom. Unlike abandonment, which suggests neglect, release is intentional and often requires courage. It manifests in the moment we finally forgive an old hurt, the decision to step away from work that no longer serves us, or the willingness to let a relationship evolve beyond our initial expectations.
In case you missed it…
This week’s Ikigai Thoughts for Today…
The first: Thoughts on Monday
The poster in the coffee shop read…Monday, I Shall Slay Thee with My Cup of Coffee
Pondering why we feel the need to slay, defeat, or otherwise overcome Monday.
The second: Kindness Meditation
I am introducing a concept called kindness meditation or kindness prayer. The idea is simply to speak thoughts and expressions of kindness to yourself, to those around you, and the world.
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This week’s Coffee Contemplation…Enough
For this coffee contemplation, we ponder something from T.S. Eliot about ‘enough.’
“To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life.”
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Interesting Thing…
There's a remarkable live feed of a watering hole in the Namib Desert that streams 24/7. People have reported seeing an impressive array of wildlife, including zebras, wildebeests, ostriches, and various birds.
When I dropped in, a warthog was visiting, splashing in the water, and sunning himself (screenshot below). The stream features both microphone and night vision capabilities, ensuring you can connect with the happenings at any hour. It's a surprisingly peaceful way to take a mental break and observe a bit of nature you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.
Comment of the Week:
I’m sharing this thought from
, commenting on the impact of The Ikigai Way…That’s what makes a great book—impact on people and really using what you read. I think many books are like “aha this is interesting” but it rarely goes beyond. I am so happy people follow your newsletter and read the book to tie it all together. I am hoping to follow your journey. Thank you for inspiring us every day for years now!
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from Katherine May1 in her book, Wintering…
It often seems easier to stay in winter, burrowed down into our hibernation nests, away from the glare of the sun. But we are brave, and the new world awaits us, gleaming and green, alive with the beat of wings. And besides, we have a kind of gospel to tell now, and a duty to share it. We who have wintered have learnt some things. We sing it out like birds. We let our voices fill the air.
Final Thoughts
On Easter Day, the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer.
Douglas Horton2
What if we dare, even for a moment, to grasp the significance of that thought? To embrace it with a sense of awe and wonder, even if only for a day, is to invite the greatest possibility of all.
Quest Well.
Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times (New York: Riverhead Books, 2020), 256
Horton, Douglas. "On Easter Day the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer." Christian Herald, 1976.
I love how I’ve been synced with your word of the week, release. This week for me has been an important one. My matrimonial home finally sold and I am moving whatever was left of my stuff there. That includes my Baby Grand Piano. The thing is I moved to a much smaller house, and I’m having to let go of a lot of stuff. It’s a great exercise of letting go of the past and the things that drag you down. I’m lightening up my load and it feels good.
Happy Easter David.