I cherish a rainy day, because for once two distinct enclaves of my spirit are at peace.
One longs to be outdoors exploring. The other gives weight to my desire to stay in and CREATE.
Spring and Autumn move so swiftly that I must admit I feel a sense of “panic”. The kids these days call it “FOMO” which can be defined as the fear of missing out. The phrase sums up my feelings perfectly. The idea that I might miss the awakening of amphibians, the unfurling of a wildflower, or the whistling wings of migratory birds stirs my soul. Likewise, I don’t want to ever miss out on rolling a fragrant black walnut in my palms anymore than I’d want to miss the waltz of Milkweed seeds that spiral into the autumn air. Of course the first enclave nourishes the second enclave, and so both must be satiated carefully and respectfully.
Writing, photography, and art keeps me fulfilled. Alive. Storytelling is stitched into who I am so deeply that I’d likely fall to pieces without it. It gives me a purpose. Afterall, people can disappoint you. They misunderstand you, complicate things unnecessarily, and sometimes create conflicts that never needed to exist in the first place. So it comes as no surprise that I favor to spend my time in nature or creating something beautiful at a desk. There I’m safe. Safe from combativeness. Safe from guilt trips. Safe from the toxic behaviors that are innately human. Safe from…the news.
Don’t get me wrong, I love people, when they are behaving in a manner consistent with good humor, kindness, and value. But not once have I been gaslit by a toadstool. I’ve never had an argument with a Red Oak. I’ve never felt the sting of betrayal from a Bloodroot and a Killdeer has never lied to me.
I know that people, least of all myself, are perfect 100% of the time. Inherently I’ve made mistakes, I’ve said things I shouldn’t have said, or acted in a manner I just described. We all do. But it seems more common today than it ever has. And frankly, I don’t have to put up with it when it is consistently occurring from the same sources.
So today, I reserve myself to create. To ponder. To sip a tea while the pitter-patter of rain drops outside take me to a better end of the day. The rain insisted I stay in, so I’m going to obey. And here, in my refuge, my window is cracked so I can hear the stories nature is writing on its own in this very moment.
#outdoors #writingcommunity #nature #wildlife