The Art of Is: Improvising as a Way of Life

No matter how much you plan and prepare, life has a way of throwing you curves you didn’t expect or anticipate. What do you do then? You improvise, of course. But if you really think about it, every moment of every day is new, unique, and unrepeatable. And each one requires some level of improvisation. If you embrace this truism, you will find your life opening up in startling, enriching, and beautiful ways. This remarkable book is a contemplative set of reflections on what it means to live improvisationally. The author uses incredibly rich and varied examples, from music, nature, history, politics, art and much more; they are exceedingly thoughtful as they extrapolate individual events and circumstances to a new and more mindful, present, way of being. Really listen, to the noises you normally tune out, to the conversations you encounter. Observe the details of your surroundings, and of your relationships. Let go of expectations and just notice what already is. And let yourself improvise when in the moment. Realize that there are no mistakes, but just parts of the journey. Reading through this work is an extended meditation, profound and moving. Savor it.