Episode 115: “The Way of the Wave” with Daniel A. Miller

Posted on by Wynne Leon

A lot of my life these days is about urgency. With my kids at age 9 and age 5, they report almost everything as a high priority. Fears that a slug will get stepped on and the pain of getting a splinter in the thumb both register equally high on the urgent meter.

I’ve learned that I can’t teach them the difference between what does and does not need immediate attention unless I know it myself. And what I’ve found is that very few things warrant that gripping feeling. Sure, we might need to triage a hurt thumb, but often times that urgency is a false flag for grasping things too tightly.

So I really appreciated the recent podcast conversation Vicki and I were able to have with author Danny A. Miller. In one of many insights he shared, he named urgency as a good indicator that it’s time to let go. He’s written a beautiful book, The Way of the Wave, about finding the flow and brilliantly shares his life lessons. His book feels like part memoir and part philosophy.

Danny tells us about the moment when he knew he needed to surrender control. From that moment about 35 years ago, he started collecting the anecdotes about how to live in the flow of life that make up this insightful book.

He tells us how he experiences flow in writing, painting, playing tennis and more and the creative cross-pollination that occurs.

We learn about how to set things aside and not “overpaint” so to speak so that we can gain some distance and perspective in our endeavors.

We talk about the things that tend to dampen our experience which Danny calls Wave Obstructors. And the opposite forces like trust and humility that are Wave Enhancers.

Danny also shares with us what to do when there is a lull. How to navigate the moments when the waves are absent from the beach.

We end with Danny reading his beautiful poem, Life’s Lantern.

This is a fantastic episode with a whole-hearted author sharing valuable and vulnerable lessons. We know you’ll love it!

Wynne and Vicki

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Episode 115 transcript

Episode 132: South Side Memories with Gloria Golec – Sharing the Heart of the Matter

In this episode, hosts Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson engage with author Gloria Golec about her memoir, South Side Memories. The conversation explores themes of family, immigrant experiences, and the power of storytelling. Gloria shares insights on how her Polish heritage and family dynamics shaped her identity and writing journey. The discussion emphasizes the importance of preserving personal narratives, the emotional connections that come from sharing stories, and provides the inspiration for writing our own stories.TakeawaysThe book is a reflection of the American dream and immigrant experiences.Storytelling helps maintain connections to roots and loved ones.Writing can be a therapeutic process for personal growth.Family dynamics, especially gender roles, play a significant role in shaping identity.Cherished memories can provide clarity and understanding of past relationships.Cultural heritage is often intertwined with food traditions and family gatherings.Teaching experiences can influence one's writing and storytelling approach.Writing a memoir can be an emotional journey that brings past relationships closer.Encouragement to start writing by focusing on one story at a time.Sharing stories can inspire others and create a sense of community.Links for this episode:⁠How To Share Snapshots of the American Dream transcript⁠⁠Gloria Golec's profile on Eckhartz Press⁠South Side Memories on ⁠Eckhartz Press⁠From the hosts:Vicki’s book about resilience and love: ⁠Surviving Sue⁠; Blog: ⁠https://victoriaponders.com/⁠My book about my beloved father: ⁠Finding My Father’s Faith⁠
  1. Episode 132: South Side Memories with Gloria Golec
  2. Episode 131: Attacking the Dragon with Marc Ross
  3. Episode 130: Take Me Back to Chicago with Doug E. Jones
  4. Episode 129: Wish I Was Here with Ilsa Rey
  5. Episode 128: This is Your Body on Trauma with Meg Bowman

Links for this Episode:

Danny’s website danielamiller.com 

Danny’s book, “The Way of the Wave”:  https://www.amazon.com/Way-Wave-Natures-Navigating-Currents/dp/0982893078).

Danny also narrated the audio book, available on Amazon, B&N, and Apple iTunes.

You can also connect with Danny on Instagram and Facebook:

    From the Hosts:

    Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/

    Wynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith; Blog: https://wynneleon.com/

    29 thoughts on “Episode 115: “The Way of the Wave” with Daniel A. Miller”

    1. My practice taught me that there is a point in life where urgency is awakened. Now, my birthdays and the growing spectacle of my grandchildren do. An interesting topic, my friends.

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        1. My apologies, Wynne. I though you were writing less and might have missed some of your posts. I always enjoy and learn from them.

          Liked by 1 person

        2. No problem – WordPress sometimes does some funny things. You have been such a wonderful and insightful correspondent so I figured we just got out of sync.

          And you’re right – I’ve change my schedule a bit so I post Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

          Thanks, Dr. Stein!

          Liked by 2 people

    3. Pingback: Episode 115: “The Way of the Wave” with Daniel A. Miller – The Story Lady

    4. Danny was a great guest and his philosophy applies to so many things in life. as far as the parenting part toward the end, it’s taken me a long time to learn to just listen and let my adult children try to work things out unless they ask me to help in some way. a great chat for a Friday morning and food for thought –

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    5. You killed the lead Wynne. Inquiring minds need to know. Did the slug survive? Did it get stepped on? Ha, ha. Danny’s book and surrendering control. Hmm, he didn’t write that with me in mind, did he? Ha, ha, I might have to add that to the reading list. Lovely post.

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      1. Ha, ha, Brian! We saved more slugs around here than I can count. 🙂 I love Danny’s advice for finding flow in creativity. It always helps me when I walk away for a bit when I’m forcing it. Thanks for the great comment, my friend!

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    6. Okay, a big thanks to Danny. I’m going to start pollinating by flowing back and forth! I appreciate the helpful suggestion. Vickie, I believe it was you who commented “Know when to walk away” in response to Danny’s discussion about hitting a wall while writing. Of course, I immediately got an earworm that actually agrees with Miller’s observation-kind of!:

      Segments from Kenny Rogers-The Gambler

      You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
      Know when to fold ’em
      Know when to walk away
      And know when to run

      Every gambler knows
      That the secret to survivin’
      Is knowin’ what to throw away
      And knowin’ what to keep
      ‘Cause every hand’s a winner
      And every hand’s a loser….

      🙂 🙂 🙂

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    7. I cannot wait to listen to this podcast. He sounds fascinating and full of wisdom. After my mom died, my daughter told me that grief would hit me in sets of waves. When it came out of the blue, she cautioned to be ready for it — and to remember that waves come in sets of seven. She had lost a friend that year to suicide.

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    8. Danny has had an awful lot of tragedy in his life. When we feel betrayed by someone close to us, it hurts way more.

      I totally agree with storytelling as a way of connecting with readers. Theories without personalized anecdotes misses the mark for me.

      I follow Danny’s philosophy of writing when the spirit moves me. Since retirement, I’ve continued to be busy, but the thing I’m most conscious of is balance. I don’t want to have that feeling of deadlines and expectations anymore. Happiness is my guide.

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    9. Pingback: Embracing the Creative Flow with Sharing the Heart of the Matter - Daniel Miller

    11. I enjoyed this conversation during a 45-minute drive across town for work this morning. What a soothing conversation to enjoy amongst traffic gridlock in our city. 😊😆 I love the analogy of the wave – and learning to go with the flow, because we can’t control the waves but we can certainly control our resistance to them. Love the idea of wave enhancers and obstructors and how they show up in our creative pursuits. The closing of your podcast with Danny reading the passage was chef’s kiss. Great way to set the intention for the week!

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      1. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this comment, Ab. To listen to this podcast while driving in traffic – that’s awesome! I love that you liked the poem at the end — that was Vicki’s inspiration and you’re right, she was right on the money! Thanks for listening!

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