“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” — May Sarton
During this shelter in place, have you discovered what works for you as an “instrument of grace?”
Or:
Are you feeling you should be doing something differently than what you
are doing?
Today’s prompts are inspired by the article “Gardens deemed ‘essential,’” — David Templeton, April 30, 2020, Petaluma Argus Courier.
No matter where you live, you most likely are experiencing Shelter in Place, or SIP.
Where I live, Northern California, it looks like we’ll have another month of SIP.
Our first day of SIP was March 17, 2020. Today is Day 44 of Shelter in Place. It’s an interesting time, isn’t it? Weird. Surreal. You probably have many adjectives you can use to describe this experience.
Writing Prompt: What are you noticing?
How has your life changed with shelter in place?
What do you do now that’s different?
Make a list of your current activities.
Write about your day.
What do you do now?
Use any of these writing seeds to Just Write.
Think of musical performances you have seen . . . either movies or live performances. Which one resonates with you?
Which character in a musical do you identify with?
Imagine you are sitting on a lovely porch. It could be your porch where you live now. Or a porch you remember. Or a porch you imagine.
See yourself sitting on a porch, perhaps in a rocking chair, or a wicker chair, or a cushy upholstered chair.
You have been asked to memorize something while you relax on your porch. What do you memorize and why?
For this prompt . . . let’s get comfortable. Settle into your chair. Make any adjustments you need to make to feel relaxed.
Take a deep breath in. Hold. Let your breath out.
Repeat: Deep breath in. Hold. Relax breath out.
Put your hand over your heart. Deep breath in. Hold. Release breath.
Think of one word from your heart. The uppermost feeling or thought you are experiencing right now. Just one word.
When I remember where I originally saw this idea, I’ll give credit here.
The second part of this prompt is thanks to my amazing friend and writing teacher, Susan Bono.
The quiet of knowing
The song of regret
The taste of heartbeat
Prompt: Make a list using that pattern.
If you want, you can incorporate your one word from when you had your hand over your heart.
Write about your favorite things.
Whenever I hear the phrase “favorite things,” I think of the song in “Sound of Music,” . . . “My Favorite Things,” sung by Julie Andrews.
Write about some of your favorite things.