POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Islands in the Sun

By Nandy Ekle

It’s time for a vacation. Actually, checking my watch a good vacation is way past due.

So where shall we go? What shall we do? The calendar says, “Fall is preparing to fall.” The weatherman says, “Fat chance.” The stress meter says, “Who cares?” This makes the boundaries wide open.

We can go to a tall mountain covered by a dense forest, find a small cabin and sit on the front porch counting the trees. Or we can go to a beach next to the ocean and count the grains of sand.

And really and truly, why do we wait until we have time and money, or until we’re so stressed we begin to make mistakes because we’re trying so hard not to make mistakes? Aren’t we writers? Don’t we possess a great a power in our imaginations?

Exactly.

So take deep cleansing breath and close your eyes. Picture the clear air brusing your face, whether it’s salty from the ocean or woodsy from the forest. Take a deep lungful of the quiet relaxation you smell. Kisten to the slight breeze blowing fluffy white clouds around. And taste the freedom.

While you’re there counting trees/sand, describe what you see. A jellyfish dancing in the water? A doe daintily picking her way through the grass? A pirate ship on the horizen? A bear running between trunks?

Write it all down along with why they’re there.

Now come back home and go back to work.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.