at Zen Mountain Monastery this past weekend,
I encourage my students to step through
the doubt and hesitation and get something
down in the sketchbook.
At the end of the workshop
I walk up the wooded path to the cemetery
to visit my friend Richard Barsky.
It's been twelve years since he died.
I stand in front of the vertical grave marker,
looking down at the capstone that covers his ashes.
I hear Richard's voice inside me,
"Go ahead. Do it."
I open my sketchbook - and get something down . . .
