“Onward Thru the Fog” or “Onward Through the Fog” (Oat Willie’s of Austin)

Oat Willie’s is a head shop at West 29th Street and Guadalupe that was founded by Norman “Doug” Brown in 1968. The name “Oat Willie” is from an Austin-based comic character. The famous Oat Willie’s motto (on numerous bumper stickers since the 1970s) is: “Onward Thru the Fog.”

And it’s a great way to describe how several friends and me feel having been caught up in the mold infusion profusion happening in Austin, Texas after all the rain we’ve been having lately.  I’ve been pretty much vertical all day except for a brief bout of vacuuming up the rampant dog hair; otherwise it’s been me and the bed or the couch.  Helps me to have a deeper empathy for people who are really ill. I do not take my good energy for granted at all.  I’ve got a long time friend who just found out that on top of all the other health issues she has (Lupus, Diabetes, etc.) they’ve diagnosed her with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  She will start radiation and chemotherapy sometime next week and all I can do is pray for her  to have a healthy constitution, visit her when she’s able to receive company and help her find spunky pretty scarves to cover her head with after her hair falls out. I know that even on my worst days, like today in a mold fog, I’m still light years healthier than my friend.

I do know that when I am feeling bad like today, I am more able to bring in the kind soothing mental voices rather than the judgmental ones.  Not sure what that is about, but I’ll take it. I’ve also had some creative ideas come up such as writing some fictional novels about angels.  I’ve never really ever spent too much time considering writing fiction because I just figured that was something that I would not do very well. Better left up to the experts. But last night in my semi-conscious state, I realized that I’ve been writing these books in my head for a while.  Just never thought that was what they were until I slowed down long enough to pay attention to myself.

Have you ever noticed the great ideas that sweep across your mind?  Have you been creating a book, painting, clothing, etc. etc. in your mind but hadn’t stopped to think about it before now?  What would be one daring creative idea that you’ve had that you can’t believe that you have had, but you have?

Onward thru the fog! Sometimes when are mental faculties are down and out the other parts of our being have room to breath and move!