Isn't spring just incredible?
I certainly think so. One of my favorite quotes is by Marcus Tullius Cicero is, "If you have a library and a garden, you have everything you need."
I certainly have not managed a garden of Cicero proportions, but ever since the freeze of winter finally shook, I've been planting myself a lovely garden. For the past months since spring's arrival, I've been finding myself in a rewarding loop outside of my day job. Write, read, plant, water and repeat.
I spent all yesterday morning reading among a flower-filled back yard listening to the wind chimes chime, the bees buzz and watched an occasional butterfly flutter by (some birds came to visit, too!). I then spent a good part of my Saturday writing in my backyard too. There's just something therapeutic about journal writing on a warm spring day under a wind chime.
This year, I'm starting to really understand the meaning behind Cicero's lovely little saying and really embracing the lovely spirit of spring. I'm on the last day of Camp NaNoWriMo, probably not in for a win but hardly disappointed. I love writing outside in the warm, clear air, pausing occasional to look at the bursts of colorful flowers I've planted and nurtured alongside the words I'm writing.
It's also called horticultural therapy, by the way. I call it garden therapy but to-may-to, to-mah-to. For those of you who have never given gardening a try, it's not just about planting something in a pot and having to water it. It's about giving yourself a sense of purpose in burring something in the ground and deciding you have the ability to make it into something greater. The pay off of you succeeding is an incredible feeling. One that inspires me to reflect on how my gardening and writing truly are hand in hand. Both need nurturing, attention, care and dedication.
You know what I do now during my writer's block? I step out of my office and into my garden, book in hand. I read and let myself unwind until inspiration strikes me again. I also get to combine the two. Am I sick of staring at my blank word document? No problem, I'll just keep journal writing by the lavender bush.
I love spring, very much and I honestly love the effect it's having on me and my writing. I encourage all of you to get into the spirit of it and plant something out there while you're working on your writing. Nature's there to inspire you if you let it.