Embrace the Page of Winter

 

All the words that I utter,
And all the words that I write,
Must spread out their wings untiring,
And never rest in their flight,
Till they come where your sad, sad heart is,
And sing to you in the night,
Beyond where the waters are moving,
Storm-darkened or starry bright.

- Where My Books Go, William Butler Yeats

The evening is getting colder. The air is changing. For several weeks we were warm with no signs of the winter air. Clouds gathered during the day, almost like a summer, but not quite. No thunderstorms in those clouds. But suddenly after a passing cold front, we are back into chillier temperatures and it is utmost delight to me. When I get to wear a sweater all day and drink warm drinks, I am cheerful indeed. I love to embrace the season, and have the experience of a proper season, which is harder to come by here in the south, but when it comes, I sure do pay attention and appreciate it.

After a long, busy week, it feels good to take it slower today. The weekend. It's here for a reason, and I seem to forget that sometimes. I have a list of all the things I need to do, but what about taking a breath? That's not on the list, but it should be. It's the thing most easily cast aside. It is often when I sit down to write that I slow down. Or when I pick up a book to read. It is why I prioritize these things, as I know I need it. I put on some lovely piano music and take a few deep breaths. Already I feel better. 

Oftentimes we leave the weekend for what we would deem fun - for the things we can't do during the week. It doesn't need to be complex for me. Just give me a book and let me read over coffee (and maybe some food). I don't eat out a lot, and if I go alone my book is my companion. It feels like a luxury, like a holiday when I do that. A treat I don't indulge in too much because it's usually when I travel that I have more meals out alone. Travel also provides a different kind of inspiration that draws on my observations. Sometimes a random thought will come to me as I sit there, maybe hearing some snippet of a conversation nearby or seeing something that reminds me of something else. These things are inspiration and I usually scribble away in my notebook. After several minutes I keep writing - maybe it is rubbish, maybe it turns into a blog post, or maybe the seeds of a story. But the experience itself is the fodder for the possibility. 

The words come, and if not written down, the words go, whisked away into the wind. Taking time to write things down is the best way to save it for later. Some of it may be shared with the world eventually. 

May you take time this weekend, and the week ahead - to pause and think, write, share,  discuss, whatever it is you do, that which is done for good.