highs

back to the concept of a runner's high.
I was writing earlier this morning, and a little light bulb clicked on in my brain.
a few days ago I was writing here about runner's high, and how I experienced that on my bike. and then my thoughts moved to all of the different ways we can experience that kind of a high: it happens whenever we're completely connected with what we're doing, when we become one with the process, when we are so engaged that we don't think about what we're doing, we just do.
this happens to me when I am engrossed in writing, and I describe it (using Julia Cameron's metaphor) as connecting with my underground river of creativity, the one that is always flowing within me. the river is there, always. I only tap into it sometimes. but when I do, I am on a writer's high.
when there, I am completely connected with this part of me that only exists when I'm in that place of creativity, and I consider it my divine self, the divine aspects of me.
I have had people comment about some of my writing, saying, "how can you do that?" and my answer is that it's not just me, I have help. it's help of a divine nature, it's God doing his work through me. [please bear with me if you don't see the world this way: it's my way, and it doesn't have to be yours. I am only trying to describe my experience using my limited vocabulary, and you are most welcome to translate it into whatever words and language work for you.]
we all have this sense at times, when we are fully engaged in our activity, when it all flows and there are no stumbling blocks. this is what I love about my writing, when I close my eyes and type away and feel that river tumbling through me and it's no longer work, it is joy.
of course, when I open my eyes and read through what I've written I do have to correct all of my closed-eyes typos, but that is a small price to pay for the experience of being one with that river, of being one with the words that are flowing through me, of being one with my purpose.

this is a high.

runner's high, rider's high, writer's high: what gifts these are to us. they're even worth the work it takes to get there, something I sometimes need to remind myself, something I hope I never forget.