I recently spent several days in Toronto with my brother from another mother Donyo as well as various members of our respective families. We had just finished checking out the Caribana Grand Parade earlier that day and were wandering through the city at a relaxed pace.

I thought about relaxation while traipsing down Queen Street in search of a gelato place with my name on it.  This peace & contentment that sponsored this vacation, this mood, this vibe had come about after a lot of soul searching, emotional work, exercise and therapy, so it felt well earned.

I recall closing my eyes and nodding my head while thinking of all the reasons for my immense gratitude for the moment as well as others before, even the uncomfortable ones. While walking, I shook my head in disbelief while passing a mid-block alley. Something out of the corner of my right eye registered, and I said "Yo, Don...I think I see something".

I turned around and walked down the alley; I didn't need to rush, I didn't have somewhere else I needed to be. I could take whatever time I wanted without worry.  Every step down that peaceful, quiet alley revealed more of the piece that had caught my eye. 

While I'd seen some nice pieces of art throughout the city, this looked to be a pretty nice find. This is something I wouldn't have been able to notice with anxieties of past, present & future hitchhiking a ride on my mind.  "Fantastic, so let's get a closer look and see if this looks better the closer we get."

All in all, I think we lucked out on this. A nice piece of art tucked away in an unassuming part of the city, visible and seen because I was in the right place, the right time and the right mindset. This continued the vibe for the day, throughout the weekend, and ever since.  

If possible, take a sec, take some breaths and steps; you never know what you may get.