?? Joy Rides On – A Reflection on Creation, Adaptability, and Donna Quixote There’s something miraculous about creating—turning dreams into something tangible. Whether it’s words on a page, paint on a canvas, a song in the air, or a story brought to life, the act of making is a testament to something deeper than success. My husband recently told me, “You have the gifts of originality and the ability to adapt to any medium.” At first, I smiled. But the more I reflect on it, the more I realize—he’s right. Whether I am painting, writing, composing, or building an entire Broadway musical from scratch, the common thread is joy. Fame? Recognition? Commercial success? Fickle friends. Emily Dickinson was right. They are shadows that shift with the wind. But joy? Joy is eternal. It is the frequency of creation itself. In fact, I believe joy is a frequency even higher than love—because it carries peace, acceptance, and bliss. A windmill that never stops turning, no matter how strong the storm. And so, I am writing a musical. What, like it’s hard? ;) Maybe it was my trip to Amsterdam last fall, Steve’s windmill postcard, a whisper of something waiting to be born. ?? Donna Quixote: The Musical A dreamer. A fighter. A woman who refuses to be defined by the past. Through art, resilience, and joy, Donna rides forward—defying expectations, breaking cycles, and proving that windmills turn, but she chooses their direction. THE WINDMILLS KEEP TURNING This is more than a musical. It is a reckoning. It is a story for the children of unstable love who refuse to let their past define them. A battle cry for those who have lived with the ghosts of chaos and chosen to say: No more. Because windmills may turn. But we choose their direction. But There’s More to This Story… In the dreamlike haze of my 36-hour sleeplessness, this story poured out like a miracle. As if something greater than me was pulling the threads together, spinning the windmills faster, guiding my hand. And maybe—I suspect—a special light is throwing energy into my veins, filling my spirit with song, filling my heart with a twinkle from their eye to mine. Because energy is never destroyed. It lives on in love. And most of all—in joy. Wilhelmina (btw older version better) and Arzu are still very much alive. Each story has its own rhythm, its own breath. But sometimes, another tale arrives like a gust of wind—insisting it be told. I write across mediums, across worlds, across lifetimes. Some stories demand ink, some demand music, some demand movement. But all of them come from the same well—joy. And so, the windmills turn, and I follow. So, if you’re creating today, if you’re making something simply because it brings you joy—keep going. Keep tilting at those windmills. Keep riding forward. And to you, my friends: I joy you. I always will. ??? #Theater #MusicalTheater #Broadway #Creativity #Joy #Storytelling #Resilience #BPDSandwichGeneration #WindmillsTurn #Artistry #OriginalWork?
