The World Goes 'Round

While I was taking a walk around the neighborhood this evening, I caught the gentle scent of apple blossoms. I looked above me, and although the sun had set, and I had only the moonlight and distant street light to show the way, I noticed pink apple blossoms draping over my head. Of course, in the dim light, they appeared white. The sweet scent immediately caused me to reflect on something I mentioned to a friend the other day, "We should write about 'What makes the World Go 'Round?'"  I suggested this because he, too, blogs. He and I have completely different writing styles...he's more analytical and scientific, and I'm more of the heart-felt, emotion-filled writer. I thought it would be interesting to compare how we see the World.

Well, over the next few days, I had forgotten about the subject until tonight. Could it be the gentle, sweet scent of apple blossom that makes the World go 'round? That made me think deeper about the whole subject, which isn't unusual for me. I immediately felt this desire to write down my thoughts as soon as I walk in the house. Why would anyone care to read my thoughts on what makes the World go 'round? Perhaps, there are others on this big globe that would find the subject quite appealing, perhaps interesting, possibly boring, or maybe even amusing...so I write.

I walked past the apple blossoms and caught the scent of something I couldn't identify, but it was just as appealing as the apple blossoms. I walked further and once again caught the scent of apple blossoms, and then further...lilacs. The crickets were chirping, and I heard a dog barking in the distance.

The scent of freshly cut grass came to mind, as that is what I have been smelling quite a bit the past week...when it wasn't raining. I stopped to look at the moon--it was almost full. The word, "LIFE," suddenly burst into my thoughts, and with that, the recall of the scents that were bestowed upon me as I took my evening walk.

What makes the world go around? Life. It's in the scent of apple blossoms and lilacs, it's the sound of the local church bells ringing, it's in the bright glow of the moonlight as it guides me along my way.

Springtime rings out renewed life, and boldly shouts out through the blossoms that seem to pop over night, and the scents, and the sound of crickets hiding in the grass, and the birds feeding at the feeders.  All is beautiful! All is exciting! All is breathing renewed life into the World.

How wonderful is the wonder of which plants survived the cold, long winter....amazingly, the newly created gardens my husband and I labored over last Spring and Summer survived, save for a flower or two. I often wonder how one cannot be amazed at the seemingly, instant transformation of the landscape around us. The pastoral views driving through the countryside where the sweet scent of tilled dirt from a freshly plowed field wafts through the air, or having a hosta plant barely showing it's leaves one day, and the next its grown about 6 inches or more. With that said, I am tempted to pull up a law chair and see if I can actually watch my hosta grow.

Spring resonates with all my senses: smell, sight, touch, taste, sound.  Taste? you ask. Why not? Springtime means sipping on lemonade, iced tea, or both at the same time.

God's grace surrounds me with Springtime glory. This is what makes my World Go 'Round. We all have our own experiences  to tell about our World. What is yours? Comments welcome.

Have a blessed and safe Memorial Weekend.

Jewel

 

A Writer’s Heart Reborn.

As much as I try to avoid cliches, an old adage seems to occupy my thoughts this evening: "Time Flies."  Sharing those two simple words should have been painless, but instead it gave me a feeling like the screeching sound of fingernails down a chalk board.  

It seems the older I get, the faster time passes. I reflect on all that has happened in my life the past 10, 15, 20 years, and I realize that time really hasn't gone by that quickly; so much has happened in my life that I'm surprised I didn't need 50 years to live through all that I have experienced. 

While making the everyday normal events of my life happen, my passion for writing has always been with me. Although it may appear I have all but forgotten about the writer in me,  which has been with me as far back as I can remember, it is always there lingering around in the recesses of my soul.

There have been times in my life when I've had exciting focus and dedication, and then without conscious awareness, my goals are put back on the shelf, and my dreams on the back burner--always there, but simmering like an unwatched pot of stew. I forgot to mention I have a very metaphorical writing style. My excuses for not writing---I’m too busy, how can I switch from my corporate thought process to a writer’s thought process when I get home only to have to make dinner, and I need to help somebody with something. Excuses, excuse. It's as if I sold my writer's soul to corporate America and these so-called side jobs.

I was tired of the excuses and knew I had to do something to make my writing a priority. I’ve done quite a bit of contemplating the past year, and have simplified my life quite significantly. Gone are the side jobs to make extra spending money, learning to say no to helping with projects that take me away from my family and my writing, and focusing on the things that bring me peace and joy; as the layers of extracurricular obligations have peeled off, the desire to write grows stronger....a rejuvenation of my passion. I am positively overwhelmed with a confidence that the writer in me has returned with determination. Writing is my calling in life and I need to go after it with urgency and the passion I once felt so long ago.

I thought I would start with blogging to re-acquaint myself with my creative process and to nurture the inspiration inside this writer’s soul. I write from the heart--the heart of a writer.

Julie