This was an exciting day, with a twinge of sadness, as the Arkansas house chapter concluded. Greg closed on his parents’ home and we drove away from there, knowing we would not see it again. This evening I returned to drawing a creative action from my glass pitcher, after taking a break yesterday so I could celebrate my grandson with a birthday post.
Late in the day, I drew this activity:
Color whimsical animal in EF.
Again, the perfect arrow to fire after another long day. I was delighted.
EF stands for Enchanted Forest, a coloring book by Johanna Basford. Within the book are whimsical animals and scenes from the forest. I so enjoyed coloring one of the animals recently, a rabbit, that I looked forward to completing another one. I chose the hedgehog.
The first whimsical creature that I colored.
I love these creatures! They are animals morphing into leaves. Or at least, that’s how I viewed them originally. As I colored on the hedgehog tonight, my perspective shifted. I saw that it could be that the enchanted plants in this magical forest may be transitioning into animals!
Coloring is meditative for me. It slows me down, centers me, restores balance. As I completed my little hedgehog, I felt rested, as if I had taken a nap. My thoughts turned toward the creative activities I’ve drawn this past week, seemingly at random, and I saw the perfection in my journey.
Rilynn photo bombs the pic as she checks out my coloring.
Many of the creative activities that I wrote out and dropped into the pitcher require time to carry out. Although they are intended to be completed within the day, some could take several hours to finish or may necessitate leaving the house. I have already marveled at drawing a rainy day activity on a day when rain was falling. Or selecting one that required me to give away items as we were preparing for a yard sale.
To draw the coloring activity this evening, so late in the day, amazed me and deeply touched me. I see everything that comes into my life as an ongoing conversation with the Divine. Drawing activities that so perfectly align with the amount of time I have to do them, and the physical ability that I have at that moment to perform them, is part of that conversation.
The Divine is saying to me, through these simple playful activities written on folded slips of paper, “I see you. I’m aware of you. I’m aware of the day you are having/will have/had. Will you trust me?”
I answer “I do…” every time I reach into that pitcher, to see what I will draw. When I began this month this was a creative exercise, something fun to do. I have learned so much about my journey, and how life works for me. I feel humbled and grateful for this time of surrender. It has raised my awareness and deepened my trust.
This little hedgehog, who is becoming something more as he journeys, became my symbol tonight for this amazing month. Every time I look at him, I will think about what I am learning and who I am becoming as I journey. I named my hedgehog Junebug.
