Sowing seeds
The weather forecast predicts the return of cold weather but, as I write, spring is in the air - together with a desire to be out in nature.
It probably won't surprise you to hear that I'm not an outdoorsy person. I tend to feel the cold so like to be dry and warm, with bathroom facilities and food in near-constant and reassuring proximity.
Besides, my limited mobility and stamina makes walking less of a fun activity, more of a 'as and when' necessity, involving a military level of logistical planning about where I can sit down.
Even so, I'm feeling drawn to fresh air, the sensation of sun on my skin, and the music of birdsong all around me.
Research shows how nature improves our mental well-being and, while I'm seldom able to venture out into it, I feel incredibly lucky to live somewhere overlooking nature, and which is flooded with bird song whenever I open a window.
But the advent of spring isn't just making me more aware of new life in the outside world; it's also making wonder what seeds I'd like to sow and water over the next six months in myself and through my projects.
It feels like a lifetime since I asked myself "which one do I want to feed", even though in reality it was only four months ago; albeit, four months in lockdown over winter, hence why it feels more like years than months. In a way it was about what was available to me at the time, and making a choice between existing options for self-care.
The new question feels more about possibility, ideas and potential: what seeds, ideas, or projects do I want to sow and water? What new things do I want to create space for, cultivate, add to my life?
If the question over winter looked at how I treated the soil (ie, did I leave it to be littered by crisp packets or did I protect any tender plants from frost), this new spring energy asks what I'd like to 'grow' this summer.
I haven't written any concrete plans but an amazing session with a friend this morning has added the first draft of a co-authored book to some other exciting projects (watch this space!)
What seeds would you like to sow for this summer?
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Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels