Tag: Writer’s Block

Lessons from Lake Louisa State Park

Change is a fact of life, and everyone experiences loss. With that said, I will tell you my story. For several years during the fall and winter months Herb and I camped in Florida’s State Parks. We pulled a Viking camper with our Grand Cherokee, and always took Buddy, our beagle along.

In 2022 the jeep started having mechanical problems, which seemed impossible for any mechanic to diagnose. Herb didn’t think it would be safe to pull the camper, so we decided to sell it and the jeep, and buy a new SUV.

Since then, I’ve really missed going camping, especially when the temperatures drop in the fall. One day I remembered some of the parks have cabins for rent. The cabins have a “no pet policy,” so we hadn’t entertained the idea until now. Sadly, Buddy is no longer with us—which had the effect of plunging me into a no writing zone for the last two months.

When I discovered a cabin was available at Lake Louisa State Park, I booked it. The park is located only thirty miles west of Orlando.

Our cabin included a large living room, and a full kitchen. Everything was clean and comfortable. I could sit on the front porch overlooking the lake and write. What a delight to see the sun’s rays glisten upon every blade and leaf. I loved hearing squirrels chatter in a nearby tree, and birds squawk in the grass below me. What a gift to be in God’s creation again!

This was a different trip, without a camper or a dog, but it taught me God has the power to redeem my losses. I am reminded of the story of Naomi in the Old Testament. While living in a foreign land called Moab, Naomi had lost her husband, and both of her sons. She decided to return back home to Bethlehem. Although her daughter-in-law, Ruth, was a Moabite, she insisted on going with Naomi. Ruth denied her own culture when she said, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16 NIV)

After Ruth arrived in Judah, she met and later married Boaz, who was one of Naomi’s in-laws. Boaz and Ruth conceived a child and blessed Naomi with a grandson, Obed. He became the father of Jesse, who became the father of King David.

Yes, God has a way of redeeming our losses and turning sadness into joy. As Herb and I hiked the trails in the park and relaxed around the campfire at night, I felt renewed in my spirit. The great outdoors is always there, and I felt so good to be in it again.

Take heart reader, if you are living with a loss, God will restore your joy in his timing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s All About Location

I’ve wanted to write a post for weeks but felt stuck. Is it because I have no ideas or too many ideas? The woes of a writer. There’s nothing worse than writer’s block. I feel lost when I don’t write… ideas come, but seem pointless.

Today I moved my laptop from the dining room table back to my studio, hoping to separate myself from distractions, and immersing myself in a place where I wrote so many posts before.

My writing space is decorated with nature scenes. Scenes that draw me to the beauty of creation. I’ve been stuck inside for along time. The daily walks which stimulated my creativity stopped. Wonder why?

In October of 2023 I experienced three stress fractures in the metatarsals of my left foot. The treatment plan involved wearing a surgical boot for eight weeks, and limiting my steps as much as possible. (400 steps a day) Elevation is important to the healing process. For those eight weeks I propped up my foot on pillows to keep the injury above my heart. (Twenty minutes every hour during the day.) I learned it takes a long time for tiny bones to heal, especially if you have osteoporosis.

By Ground Hog Day I began transitioning out of the boot and into my sneaker. A process of slowly increasing my steps which took another eight weeks. Now I can walk well enough to do a few chores around the house. I’ve learned to appreciate the ability to move from one room to another in my apartment!

So I’ve been stuck. Maybe writing this will get me unstuck. Maybe I just need to move on now. I’ve never been one to feel sorry for myself. I subscribe to the philosophy of everything happens for a reason. When it comes to illness we humans just need to get over ourselves and accept our limitations. Let’s face it, we are not in control. So, what did I do during he last five months?

Fortunately I’m retired, so hobbling around a place of business was not necessary. I prayed and read scripture to encourage myself. I read several books, and watched a movie almost every night. I made a lot of purchases on Amazon. I learned doing yoga in a chair is possible.

In January I prioritized my goals for the new year. (Isn’t it interesting, my first priority was health and my last priority was writing.) I listened to music and wrote bad poetry. Didn’t Emily Dickinson rarely come of her house?

Suffering is always bittersweet. My husband has been a saint through all of this. If he ever experiences a long term illness, I hope I can be as selfless and as patient. Trials can bring couples closer to one another.

Now that I have said all this, I feel better. Writing is so good for the soul. I’m ready to move out of my chair and feel the warmth of the sun on my face.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.” —Anne Bradstreet

Have a blessed Easter!

Opening the Door of the Imagination

Have you ever wondered what the door to your imagination might look like? If I could create such a door, it would be similar to the one in my featured image. This is the door to creativity, a place for writers and painters. Inside is a library of books, works of art, and maybe even the internet!

Where do you receive inspiration? Many people find it in nature, listening to music, or spending time with God in prayer. If you’re a creative person you know the importance of taking time to breathe in. By taking time to inhale the creativity around us, we become more creative.

Author, E.M. Forster wrote, “In the creative state a man is taken out of himself. He lets down, as it were, a bucket into his subconscious, and draws up something that is normally beyond his reach. He mixes this thing with his normal experiences and out of the mixture he makes a work of art.”

So what keeps us from accessing these places beyond our reach? For some of us it’s the busyness of life. For many of us it’s fear. When we are unsure how the finished product will look, or how it might be received by others, we quit even before we begin. We never access the areas of the imagination beyond our reach.

Some people experience writer’s block. This might happen when we rely too much on ourselves for ideas. If we step back and take time to do something which inspires us, we can find new inspiration. A wonderful book to read on this subject is The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer.

Where do you get creative ideas? In your sleep? In the shower? When you’re taking a walk? Sometimes when we allow our minds to relax fresh ideas come to the forefront of our brains. I love the “Aha” moment!

Writing is not just about hitting the keys. It means taking time to recharge and reenergize ourselves. It means taking time to play and imagine like we did as children. Make a bucket list of places you might go to for inspiration. You don’t need to travel far. Visit a local garden or gallery.

The door in my feature image was created by Colin Woley. It’s part of the Enchanted Fairy Door Exhibit at Leu Gardens in Orlando. This whimsical exhibit will delight your imagination. The tiny doors are placed in various locations throughout the fifty-acre garden. The exhibit is on display until September 23, 2018.