It has been a long time since I last sat at the keyboard with the intent to write something for Masonic Musings, and there are indeed many things I could likely write at length about, but the first two words that came to mind were, thank you.

Eight months ago my wife took a spill in our yard and broke both her ankles and after surgery and a stint at a rehab facility came home. We both underestimated the amount of help we would need and, like so often happens in life, the scales tipped and things were pushed down the priority list.

It was shortly after I wrote my last piece here, "Are you living Freemasonry," that we were dealt another blow, just after the holidays I lost my job. Which made finding a new position the primary focus, all while helping my wife.

Now, I say these things not to look for pity, but to frame things, put them in context, so that you might nod, and say to yourself, “I get it, things happen, and you needed to take a break from writing here.”

To those that have endured my second extended hiatus, thank you for waiting.

To those that recommended Masonic Musings to others, thank you.

To those that signed up to read Masonic Musings while I was quiet, thank you for signing up. You helped this very small newsletter cross the triple digit milestone back in February, I’m touched that you followed the recommendations of others to find me here.

At this point, you might be wondering why now? Why send something now?

The simple answer is, I listened to the universe.

Too often, we just lean into the work. We set a course, pull out the plans, go ahead and pick your favorite metaphor, and then put our head down and work. It’s what so many of us have been taught over the years. If we work hard at what we’re doing, we’ll get ahead. Something good will come of the effort, we have to trust the path that others have taken.

I was in just such a mode when something else came to mind, a phrase from one of the lectures when speaking about the ashlars, “to be adjusted by the working-tools of the Fellow Craft.” That was when it struck me, I wasn’t adjusting my plan, or my thoughts, I was simply plowing ahead without any thought at all.

So instead of looking at another round of rejections (which is what I was doing at the time), I sent myself on a different course. I made some adjustments and started building anew. Are the plans set? No, but I’m taking this moment to pay attention, there are opportunities always out there, and sometimes we need to adjust the stones, so the building can follow suit.

So why write now?

With the shifting of the work, it’s become obvious to me that I need to make this newsletter a regular part of what I do each week. Will there be an issue every week? Only time will tell. The adjustment I’ve made to the building stones shows a gap that this newsletter fits and so more effort is warranted, and that is something I can promise, more of an effort.

Again, I think all of you, new and old, for being here, for without you, there wouldn’t be a Masonic Musings.