Raw Writing Sunday 19
Prompt: Finding Joy in Nature, 10 min
I’m currently running another 6 week series of writing workshops online with the Writers Collective of Canada. Our theme is Expanding Capacity for Joy.
This morning my cofacilitator was ill so I hosted on my own and got a bit flabbergasted with all the moving parts of the workshop. After offering the first prompt, I took a couple minutes to breathe and reconnect to my body because my thoughts and heart were racing.
Once I felt present and breathing regularly again, I wrote with the remaining few minutes I had. I’m quite satisfied with the raw draft that came out!
The Rocky Mountains are one of my favourite places on earth. I hiked near Banff and Lake Louise often as a teen with my family. There’s nothing quite like the fresh smell of pines and river in the Rockies. It’s a feast for the senses.
I’ve heard it said that we can expect more consistent happiness but not joy. That joy is reserved for those resplendent moments when something truly magical occurs. I’ve also heard that setting your mind on what you want is how you bring that thing into being. So, what if I set my mind on joy? What if I set my mind on expecting it as often as possible? Will the universe unfold its mysteries and connect me to more of it? It’s everywhere, isn’t it? In the rustle of the wind through the trees. The crash of waves on the shore. In the whisper of a bird's wings as it flies by. In the crack of thunder as storms rage. In the powerful beats of a bee’s wings as it creates its magic elixir. It’s not about expecting joy to come. I believe it’s about discovering it at every turn. Seeking and finding it for myself. Joy is a choice. My choice.
How is your Sunday going? Did you write today?