I sit under the pergola on our patio and watch birds in the feeders and the shallow pond on our place in the limestone hills of Texas. We have dozens of Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Painted Buntings and even endangered Golden-Cheeked Warblers. And, of course, hummingbirds this time of year. These creatures continue to build nests, raise young, crack seeds with their beaks or dip their long proboscis into nectar, splash in the birdbath or zoom through fountains, and squawk, titter, and warble, oblivious to our human troubles. They give me hope that life goes on and that beauty is the ultimate truth.
I can just forget the world. Nature is my sanctuary.
I’ve also found doing other kinds of creative writing keeps me sane. I write poetry, even though much of what I write is still based on research (I even researched the origins of beach glass for a poem) and is storytelling. Reducing a story to its essence in a poem is a challenge but also a chance to reflect and find meaning in the world.
Both images by Kathryn Jones.
Tags: Self-care