On The Bad Days

Bad days are part of life. Working through them is a matter of personal choice. When I was young, I thought that being with other people, socializing, sharing my thoughts and feelings, were the best ways to dig my way out of the tough times. As I got older, I found myself turning more often to the natural world for solace and relief. I dig in the dirt – gardening is always a balm for my troubled mind. But I also look up often, endlessly interested in what the sky does with itself, forming clouds that for me are never repetitive or boring. And I love the magic of sunsets, especially those filtered through trees and the ones reflected on bodies of water. My phone’s memory is filled with dozens of these scenes, taken from my porch, my car, from occasional trips along a variety of shorelines. In the recent past, I’ve shared pictures from my garden on this platform. I’ve also posted artworks which have been part of a project that’s helped me through my grief after my husband’s death. After a rough couple of days, I’ve been out and about, looking around for that relief I find outside. I worry for this planet of ours. Climate change is real and is already here. I see it in my ground, in the trees and my plants. I don’t know if I’ll be around to see some of the long-range consequences of this process. I don’t want to be, I’m afraid. But in the meantime, I thought I’d share some of the many moments that frequently soothe my jangled spirits. I hope you enjoy them.