JoySpace

Your art is a place you always return to. — Pat Benincasa

The pandemic has caused a shift in our daily lives and we are forced to think and behave in new ways. What can we as writers hold on to during these challenging weeks? How can we spark joy? Be open to exploring? Find JoySpace in what we know best and return to the love of line, words and stories. Yes, it’s possible to be “graced” even now by our love of creating. Creativity grabs our attention in a blessed way—it feeds us, nourishes our soul, and brings us joy. But we must be willing to depart from routine, explore a little and stretch ourselves. I was reminded of this lesson when my two youngest granddaughters Zoomed with me this week.

Samia and Amelie couldn’t wait to show me their newly-created hideaways. Their special closet places exploded with whimsy and fun, colorful artwork, a giraffe with a very long neck, a big-eyed rabbit and a pretty red fox. And writing, a poem about Bunnies and I Am Enough. They had converted the everyday into a JoySpace of pizzazz, beaming with bright and meaningful art, full of connections and meaning.

During this shelter-at-home space, nights have helped me find deeper meaning. I go for walks under the blanket of stars pretending I’m in a big tent with twinkling Christmas lights. And watch the constellations cross-stitch the sky, asking myself, What are they telling me? It seems the more I immerse myself in the other the more open I am to exploring, wanting to learn about this mysterious dark world wrapped around me. Everywhere there are complex tapestries, a sculpture made from tree trunks, two thin men with outstretched limb arms. And music! Crickets playing fiddles. The hooting of barn owls. These nocturnal walks have fostered a new consciousness in my creative life, and I am behaving in unexpected ways, going deeper into experiences, giving myself permission to daydream, even do more risk-taking, going later and later with my walks. One night, the clock striking midnight. Then, I knew for sure these magical nights were not only my hideaway, my retreat from what-ifs, but my JoySpace.

The next few days after these sojourn experiences are wild with creativity, my pen barely keeping up with what was popping in my head. What was happening?  Writer Rick Steves who has penned more travel guidebooks than anyone else likes to say that a change in routine “carbonates your experience” and “rearranges your cultural furniture.” Getting outside our comfort range helps us get in touch with our spontaneous and inquisitive sides—even if the adventure is in your backyard or neighborhood. Or, as my grandchildren discovered, in your closets!

Throw a little caution to the wind. Be playful. Find music wherever you go. Look for a luminous painting. It might, in fact, be out your back door.

-Becky Breed

Writing Exercise—Sparkng Joy:

1. In Your House: Go to your book shelf and select a book of fiction that you haven’t read for a while. Randomly open the book to a page and put your finger on a line. Read it. Write it down if you like it. Do this two or three more times. Then, go to a new place to write, perhaps a deck chair or porch. Review the lines you wrote down and select one. Use it as a starter sentence for your writing.
2. In Nature: Go to your favorite green space or waterway. Find a bench or bring your own folding chair. Pretend you are in a different body or living at another time. For example, consider the hardships your great-grandmother faced when she came as a young woman to America or what your life would be like if you grew up on a prairie. Use your surroundings to inform you. Begin.

For more inspiration and to learn about Writing in Community, visit www.thewritingandcreativelife.com. Enjoy your day!