“Against all odds, a seed rises from darkness and beautifies the universe.”
~ Matshona Dhliwayo
I have written many times about my life’s journey….the path I am on. And this past year, I have come face to face with myself….my true inner being and even the shadow side of me. With lots of time to delve deep, I have been learning so much about my path, and my purpose here on earth.
Many of us ask the reason why we are alive, and what is our purpose. And we each have to answer that for ourselves. For me it was all about teaching, whether I was in the classroom or in the office as an administrator. My purpose was to try and make a difference in children’s lives and later to help their teachers. And once I retired, I was unsure what my next steps would be.
It was hard to disengage from this life I led for 30+ years. But I didn’t want the continue my path in the classroom or the office anymore….that much I knew in my heart. So I have been on a quest to see what is next for me. Cocooned in my own little spot, I have been percolating and questioning….digging deep and learning much. And it really is funny to see where I landed….on the same teaching path.
A New Path
Teaching is in my blood….it is what sustains me….always has. But the form it is now taking, is through my writing. I have been doing a lot of teaching through my writing in the past on both my blogs, and I want to continue that writing but stretch a bit further with some other projects.
So one of the next steps, logically, was to connect with other writers. A great opportunity presented itself when the Garden Writer’s Association (GWA) Annual Conference was to be held in Buffalo in early August (only 2 and a half hours away by car). After all I have been a member for a few years, so why not connect. And I wanted to learn as much as I could from these amazing writers I have long admired.
Of course this was not going to be easy for me as I am an introvert (mostly). And I have never felt comfortable in crowds for long periods of time. Couple that with the fact that I am not a trained gardener or writer, and I had serious doubts about whether I even belonged at the conference.
But I made a promise to myself that I was going to see this through. And those doubts were wiped clean once I was there, as everyone was so gracious and welcoming. I could only attend for one day because of minor surgery I had prior to the conference, but even one day was well worth it for me.
Crossing The Threshold
Going to this conference was a big step. It was like going through a gateway….no turning back. I imagined that upon entering the hotel, I was passing through a threshold, not just a doorway. No this was a spiritual threshold as I was entering a new world….transitioning and transforming this retired teacher into a new me….declaring myself as a writer, a blogger and a poet….a creative soul now unleashed.
So lots of changes are coming….I know once I start changing my online profiles, the world will step up to meet the new me. While my writing here is still sporadic, it will settle into a rhythm soon. And to those of you who continue to follow me, and read even these sporadic posts, I give my heartfelt gratitude.
This huge patch of Echinacea came from one small plant, planted 3 or 4 years ago. It seems happy with its home, and the birds and winds have brought many other Echinacea seeds here to create this wonderful spot in my garden. They have changed the whole landscape of my garden….creating a wilder/wildlife garden….oh so lovely!
Do you find wonderful surprises buried in the garden, that suddenly show up to bring you joy and make your inner light shine?
Some Creative Vases
I have been making numerous vases with sweet peas this summer. Amazing how wonderful they bloomed in our cooler and wetter summer….and the scent, well it’s heavenly….even my husband commented on how much he loved the scent. The vase above also has Queen Anne’s Lace and snapdragon. Below is a vase of just sweet peas.
The sweet peas in these vases are off-white with lavender streaks called, ‘April In Paris’.
This is the last of the sweet peas, coupled with a few dill flowers for that gorgeous chartreuse color. I have loads of dill this year too. I am joining Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful In A Vase on Monday meme.
The pictures shared here were created with my iPod Touch camera and two free apps, Pixlr and Prisma. I love the effects of these photos…..like creating art every day.
I am posting poetry, almost weekly on Sundays, on my other blog, Living From Happiness. You can read my poem about crossing that recent threshold here.
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