stillness
Dear Ciara,
Hello again. How are you? I am glad to be writing to you again. I'm sorry it has been so long, but I wanted to give myself plenty of time over the holidays to rest and recuperate. I decided to focus on letting myself be still, as this is something we both know I struggle with. I took a break from working on my thesis, a break from work (obviously), but also decided to put aside my creative projects for a little while too. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I felt this calm. I’m sure my anxiety will begin to heighten again now that I am about to return to work, but I definitely feel recharged and ready to tackle any adversity life throws at me.
What did I do instead? Well, most days I woke at dawn to the sound of birds (mainly cockatoos) chattering in the melaleuca trees overhead. I lazily sat by the pool next to a pink hibiscus plant, read a lot of Haruki Murakami, and spent time reconnecting with The Organist. We went on some gorgeous bushwalks, full of bright yellow flowers and golden beaches, watched sunsets, and just allowed ourselves to breathe.
Upon our return home, we decided to do a bit of a spring clean before we returned to work. I tidied up the garden, which was long overdue. Most of tomato plants had died back while we were away, so I collected the ripe fruit and thoroughly cleaned out the beds. I planted some new plants instead, including a bright pink hibiscus (I was inspired, you see), a rosella, and some basil. I also sowed some chilli seeds. I’m not sure how these will go now that the wet season is approaching, but I am willing to give them a try.
The song for today is:
Gatlin – Pipe Dream
I recently discovered Gatlin’s music, and I am utterly obsessed. This song really makes me nostalgic for 2015. I might write some more about that shortly...
Love,
The Gardener