A series of essays....
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| A BOUNTY OF LAVENDER HARVESTED FROM MY FRONT YARD GARDEN |
....as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
As I sit in my writing space these days contemplating life while the scientists and scholars diligently work on a vaccine for COVID-19, I attempt to determine how most of us are coping with all of the ramifications surrounding this deadly virus. It’s been interesting listening to our ideas and observing our actions of the past several months as individuals and in group meetings via the Internet.
Most of my findings have determined that while many of us believe we are leaping forward in order to progress one or two steps ahead of the coronavirus race, we may actually be falling back, making time to listen to our hearts, and enjoying life even more.
I am speaking solely for myself when I say that it’s been an amazing journey these past several months rediscovering life’s simplest pleasures and remembering, if not creating, little daily rituals that may help to turn the world right-side up, even for a moment at a time.
Because it would be wasteful not to recognize the little things in life that make us happy, that put smiles on our faces, and accounts for that new zing in our step, I’ve found it helpful to record these instances in order to look back on them again and again. Many of these things would have been, in normal times, just checked-off on a long list of ‘things to do’ and not appreciated enough for all of the long, hard work that went into them.
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| LAVENDER PLANTS KEEPING THE BEES BUSY |
For example: Securing a pair of garden shears and a bamboo tray I stepped out to my front yard lavender garden to harvest the summer yield of flowers to be hung and dried indoors. I had fun doing a feisty little dance with the beautiful bees who lay claim to the little garden and have been spreading lavender nectar far and wide for weeks. Hopefully my neighbors enjoyed the up, down, sidestep, back-off, do-si-do dance moves displayed because of my innate fear of being stung!
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| THE JOY OF THE LAVENDER HARVEST |
So intrigued by the various processes it takes to dry the ‘little bundles’ of lavender for future use in sachets and a multitude of recipes I make, I decided to write a poem for poetry class entitled Creating Little Rituals that includes this enjoyable task as one of my simple pleasures in life.
Creating Little Rituals
can turn the world right-side up, even
for a moment, make sense from nonsense,
retain a semblance of sanity within a
chaotic world. Rise by six. Back
to bed by ten and love thy neighbor
in between, or so the story goes.
Anticipating the right moment to
harvest the lavender; creating purple
nosegays to hang from a kitchen beam
to dry, hand hewn from a straight and
sturdy tree, to be marveled at
while sipping morning coffee at seven.
Step on a crack and break your brother’s
back; a wicked ‘little pleasure’ designed
to appease a younger sister’s spirit and retain
her sanity. Relinquishing control as you slip
into your lover’s warm embrace while blissful
sleepiness soon quells the pandemonium of a
long day. You might sit in easy pose and
contemplate your aching muscles, age, before
meditating. But your green cushion has disappeared
and that’s simply the way life goes.
By: Jacqueline Hughes, 7/12/20
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| LITTLE NOSEGAYS HANGING FROM THE KITCHEN BEAM |
When you practice mindfulness you practice love. When you become aware of the multiple sounds and sights that surround you as you diligently wait to be released out into the wild, once again...you are practicing mindfulness. Listen to the individual songs of birds while sitting on the deck and you become one with nature. I find innocent joy in hearing the distinct rattle of the golf clubs in someone’s bag as he is walking to find his golf ball three fairways away and then, with eyes closed, picture him setting up to take his second shot.
Be reminded of the little rituals we find comfort in. It may be reading a book to your child before bed, kissing them sweetly, and then turning off their light. Or, taking your dog for a long walk around the neighborhood after dinner, waving to neighbors at a distance, and marveling at the colorful flowerbeds that mark their hard work and dedication to beauty.
We can all nourish our souls by converting everyday routines into blessed rituals that can help heal our feeling of isolation and our struggle to find a purpose needed to retain emotional well-being in this era of coronavirus.
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| A LARGE PUZZLE IN THE ROOM |
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| BEGINNING TO PUT THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER |
My husband has come to the completion of our new living room bookshelves that look nothing short of amazing! He has spent hours figuring out the math, painting, constructing, securing, and marveling at how nicely they fit along a 13-foot expanse of plaster wall that was created sometime in 1941. He has found immense joy in doing what he knows best. I am so proud of him and delighted with the outcome.
After unloading 24 boxes filled with books that lived in the basement for almost two years, I became acutely aware of the feel of each book, the hours of one’s lifetime spent in its creation, the various authors I’ve devoted much of my reading life to, the separation of genre and how each book would fill in the spaces selected for their new life in this old house within this next phase of our lives.
My old friends, gifts for my soul, once again surround me with their own stories, their colorful coats (jackets), while new friends sit staring out into the room and imploring me to read them next. Our 13-foot wall has become a grand piece of artwork that draws my eyes to each fine detail and begs me to run a finger down each spine while reading a title that takes me into another place and time.
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| THE FINISHED PROJECT |
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| EACH SHELF IS LOVINGLY FILLED WITH OLD AND NEW FRIENDS! |
Employing little rituals will help us get through this. Let’s face it...we’ve come a long way through thick and thin and, come hell and high water, I know we can ride this one out even if all it takes is becoming more aware of the simple life and routines already happening around us. When all is said and done, falling back into the total awareness of life’s simple pleasures may just be our saving grace and lead us in the right direction towards coping with our new lifestyle and the healing of our souls..
Please wear a mask anytime you are not at home or walking your dog around the neighborhood! Our lives depend on it.
Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
Photos Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
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