I hope that you had the most joyous of Thanksgivings, and I'm wishing you a magical Christmas season!
I was fortunate to go "home" for Thanksgiving, back to the family farm in Georgia. It's the place where I derive the most inspiration for my work, and I had a lovely marathon writing session curled under a blanket on the back porch, laptop in hand, gazing across the backyard with its ponds and on to the river beyond. The sound of the river is invigorating, and the sounds of the birds reminds me that there are lives going on all around me, lives I tend to dismiss.
I also read a little Annie Dillard while I was home, "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek". It was as if she'd written it there on that farm, and her awe at nature was mirrored in my own.
Perhaps the highlight of my holiday was taking my three year old son on a walk around the farm. We made our first stop at the garage so he could climb on every tractor, and then he picked up a broom, took it outside, and tried to sweep the leaves. He's a tidy little guy. Afterwards we walked to the river, and the look on his face was priceless: eyes wide, mouth agape; he couldn't believe the sights and sounds of the rapids. We walked along the river looking at deer prints in the dirt and collecting feathers. He found a hawk feather which was definitely the discovery of treasure for him.
Come to think of it, we were both like treasure hunters in search of fortune, and I think we both found it.
It's easy to get caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle of life, of work, of the holidays. My trip home reminded me that creation and inspiration fully arrive when we take ourselves out of society for a bit so we can breathe deeply, move slowly, and simply be amongst the rest of creation. This holiday season, I hope you're able to make time to step outside of necessity for a spell. I know that it is in those moments that you will find the treasure of inspiration, a treasure you may not have even known you were seeking.
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