A Day of Repose… Reading and Writing

In preparation for a lecture I'm preparing for the Handweaver's Guild of America, I have been reading a lot on creativity and inspiration. One of the things I have seen written over and over again, is that in order to increase our creativity, we need to schedule quiet time into our lives. And so, I have been trying to reserve Sunday as a day when I take time to quietly reflect, think, and renew myself after a busy week.

This past Sunday, while still in Verona, I attended a lovely organ concert at San Fermo church, and then, I walked to a park near Castel San Pietre and spent the afternoon reading, writing, and listening to the crickets. I have claimed a 'rock' in this quiet little park, and I have been making regular visits for the past few years.
Here you can see a few images of my 'rock', and the view I have.




So... here is a formula that works for me.

Take a book, a journal, and a pen. Pack up some fresh fruit, and a bottle of water. Bring a hat, and a scarf, and make them colorful. Pray that no one else is on your rock. Then, when you get there, create a nest of sorts, and relax in whatever manner works.

For me this time, I took a book I have been reading and working with. It is called Your Personal Renaissance: 12 Steps to Finding your Life's True Calling by Diane Dreher.

I have been faithfully doing the various exercises by writing in my journal. The good news, is that by Chapter three, I was delighted to realize that I was 'already there'. I am already doing what I need to be doing. How great is that! Yet, I continue with the book and the various chapters which are offering me other ideas on how to best use my time and energies to realize my calling. I like learning about the various Renaissance artists and other historic figures that Dreher discusses as she uses examples to clarify a point.

As you can see, I had my quiet time. I was joined by thousands of crickets who sang in reverie for me.