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No. 009
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
On a seemingly unremarkable Monday morning, the household buzzed with activity. The children dressed for the day, my husband prepared waffles, and I packed lunchboxes, contemplating the day ahead. Usually, writing days energize me, but this morning I felt drained and uninspired. The monotony of daily life had drained the magic from my words, leaving my creative well parched.
In light of our recent commitment to move more, we decided to take a walk after returning home instead of heading straight to our office.
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There was no chatter as we ambled along the path in front of our neighborhood, earbuds nestled in our ears, enjoying our shared solitude.
The air was unusually crisp for a late spring morning in Florida. It felt prickly on my bare arms as I took deep, measured breaths, the aroma of damp earth and wild honeysuckle filling my lungs. The birds' morning songs blended with the quiet melodies of Max Richter in my ears, their orchestra keeping time with my breath and the gentle patter of my footsteps. It wasn’t long before we reached the end of the path and turned the corner into the state park.Â
Suddenly, the enchanted theater of the forest unfolded before me. A chorus of pine and cypress trees swayed gracefully around me to the tune of the wind, a duet of squirrels prancing and bounding across the path ahead, graciously welcoming me as if I were the prima ballerina.
I was instantly overwhelmed by the beauty, and I wondered — how often had I overlooked such moments?
In a world perpetually in motion, the tempo of our lives is often determined by the expectations we place on ourselves or those society imposes. In the midst of this chaos, we tend to lose sight of the simple beauty that surrounds us. Overburdened, overwhelmed, and understimulated, our creativity starts to dwindle.
By practicing mindfulness and surrendering to the present moment, we can rediscover the wonder around us and unlock our creativity.
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On that ordinary walk on a random Monday, the rhythmic cadence of my footsteps lulled me into a meditative state. My breath slowed and my tense muscles relaxed. As if anticipating an epiphany, I surrendered to the awareness of the present moment, letting go of everything but my heightened senses.
Nature's intricate ballet drew me into its embrace, propelling me onto its stage. The breeze gently pushed me forward as the sun peeked out from behind the curtain of clouds. As if by magic, I was a bird swooping and soaring in the sky, a purple pickerelweed popping out of the park’s freshwater marsh, a tall, slender pine tree swaying gracefully in the wind.Â
As I reconnected to my role in this awesome story of life, my soul came alive. Lines of poetry filled my head, ideas bubbled up and spilled over, and the inspiration began to flow.
When your creative well feels dry, I invite you to immerse yourself in mindfulness in your daily life. A simple walk in nature can help you abandon expectations and embrace beauty.
Walk slowly and take notice of the little details — the patterns of leaves on a tree, the wind rustling through the grass, the sun casting shadows on the earth. As you do, your mind will wander, and fresh ideas will emerge. Harness these moments to inspire your creativity, be it through writing, painting, music, or other artistic expressions.
There are countless stories hidden within us waiting to be unearthed, and it is our duty to unravel them. Practice mindfulness, let go of expectations, and get moving. Soon, you will to see the world from a new perspective — one overflowing with boundless creative potential.
This essay is the second installment of a 5-week series for Write of Passage 10. A huge thanks to Michelle Varghese, Rose Moran, John Laing, and Kirsten Corbett for their insightful feedback on this essay.
I can't overstate how much I enjoyed this essay Erin.
At the first read, your imagery of nature is stunning. Sentences like, "Suddenly, the enchanted theater of the forest unfolded before me. A chorus of pine and cypress trees swayed gracefully around me to the tune of the wind, a duet of squirrels prancing and bounding across the path," and "The breeze gently pushed me forward as the sun peeked out from behind the curtain of clouds. As if by magic, I was a bird swooping and soaring in the sky, a purple pickerelweed popping out of the park’s freshwater marsh, a tall, slender pine tree swaying gracefully in the wind," stopped me in my tracks.
Then, on a deeper level, you have a powerful and beautiful idea about the value of nature and stillness to unlock creative potential. It's an idea that resonates with me deeply, and that state of attentive, slow, mindful presence is something I've been trying to cultivate. Such a great reminder for my future walks.
Thank you for sharing :)
This is beautiful, Erin, and I love the idea of nature writing set in Florida.