relaxation – Linda Cassidy Lewis

Because my next post will be a “heavy” one, today I’m taking a break from the usual and sharing a bit of my real life with you. We’re deep into spring here in California. Roses, jasmine, and citrus are blooming, filling the air with delicious fragrances.

I’m a bit stressed right now and if I could, I would sit outside all day to take it in, but the best I can do is open all my windows and invite Spring to come inside. I feel this should inspire me to write, a poem at least, but I think I’m on sensory overload.

I hope you’ll enjoy the photos of my tangerine, roses, and jasmine in bloom. I hate the blurry thumbnails WordPress creates, so if you care to see any of the rose photos larger and clearer, just click on them. And my scarlet mini is not in bloom yet, so I’ve uploaded a photo from last November … ignore the frost! If you think you can identify any of my “mysteries” please do.

pinkjas — The pink jasmine around my kitchen window.

On second thought, though I love bringing the outdoors in, I had such good results sitting outside to edit on Sunday, maybe what I really need is to do that again. If I sit out in the scents and sun to relax both my body and my mind, who knows what beautiful words might come forth? Heck, I might even be able to concentrate enough to finish that short story, so my critique group won’t boot me out for lack of participation.

In other news: Keeping with the flower theme today, the erudite and witty Suzanne Conboy-Hill has bestowed upon this blog an award with this comment: “If anyone has helped my induction into the world of fiction-writing, it’s been you with your insightful and provocative posts, flock of contributors, and faithful supporters.” Imagine that!

In turn, I pass along this award to said flock of faithful supporters. If you like, take it and enjoy!

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If you’ve been around this blog awhile, you know I write a lot about dreams. In a sense, my dreams are my purest writing, straight from the subconscious, uncensored. I pay particular attention to mine in times of stress. Sometimes I don’t recognize I am stressed until I see a pattern in my dreams. Like now.

Lately, I’ve had a series of dreams where I’m in one of two situations. I either see words on the paper, but can’t read them or someone is speaking to me solemnly, but I can’t hear them. Last night it was Locke—or was it Smokey—talking to me. (Why yes, that is another LOST reference. :-)) I felt I was in danger and tried hard to make out what he said. I could hear his voice faintly, but not understand a single word. The frustration woke me. So, this morning, being the ever inquisitive me, I said, “What the heck does this mean?”

Well … duh. Didn’t I read my last blog post? Not only am I momentarily blinded to this novel, I am also deaf to it. I have a great deal of anxiety about it. I am stressed. So, I’m stepping back from it for a little while—are you listening subconscious? I’m not going to wonder how I could have written it better, or what revisions might lie in its future. I’m focusing elsewhere for as long as it takes for me to get centered again.

I might focus on reading, since I’ve started six books in the last month, but not finished any … and not because they aren’t worthy. I might finish a portrait I started a few weeks ago. I might dope myself with allergy meds and see what I can salvage in my flower garden. If words that need to be written come to me, I will write, but I’m not going to force them. I need peaceful dreams for a change.

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Tag: relaxation

Ahhh … the scintillating scent of spring!

Sweet Dreams