There’s a place to which I escape…where creativity flourishes and I renew…my garden. To dig in the earth is to renew my roots to the planet. To share my little outdoor space with the birds, bugs, squirrels, and various other outdoor creatures in the neighborhood is to confirm my humble place in the world. I am just another creature in their midst, doing my best to make the most of my existence, just like them.

I love the solitude of my garden space. For the most part, it is my quiet retreat. But it can also be a grand orchestra of natural sounds, as the squirrels rustling through the leaves make me turn; as the swooping sound of the hawks’ gliding wings make me pause; as the birds, chattering in a wild chorus while they perch on the great assortment of garden gifts, catch my attention.

When I’m the only human there, I can allow my thoughts to take me to creative places. At the same time, I can watch a worm wander through the soil, aerating it for the sake of my plantings. I marvel at our collaboration.

There alone, my mind has permission to run freely. For a few moments, I let schedules and responsibilities take a nap while I allow my mind to tap into my creative tendencies, where writing ideas, music inspiration, family appreciation, new culinary concoctions, and thoughts on the greater world have room to breathe. Thanks, dear garden, for being there for me.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to subscribe to Heaven’s Wait’s Email List using the form in the footer. Alerts of new blog articles will be sent to subscribers as they are published from Heaven’s Wait, typically once a week. You may unsubscribe at any time.