Oak debris strewn across the grass as the strong winds continue this campervan morning. With the wind comes a biting chill on fingers and face. Fast moving cloud skids overhead, greys, creams, whites and the occasional glimpse of blue. The light has a heaviness to it once again, the threat of rain hangs inside it. The colours that surround me feel very stark. A lone crow cry and an assortment of suburban birdsong. Starlings flit around the ash, the usual cockerel cries. It’s actually quite cold sitting here, although the forecast says not so, it still feels chilly with April around the corner, not so much in like a lion out like a lamb, more like a lion all month. The coffee is a welcome source of warmth. I have been waiting for the robins and on cue two or three arrive and begin their morning forage. Any traffic is well subdued, as it should be, it’s the last Saturday and therefore the last weekend in March. The wind continues to blow leaves and debris round the place, changing the construct of the view. I have of late been lost in the music of Philip Glass, but particularly the soundtrack of the TV series ‘Tales from the Loop’ which I only recently discovered. The soundtrack is made up of sparse piano and cello arrangements and they are utterly gorgeous, especially ‘The Walk to School ‘and ‘ The Teacher, which can sometimes bring me to the verge of tears, ideal for writing and creativity, well they are for me. They are also not my usual sources of background music and challenges my perceptions of my music, the series itself also does the same challenging my perception of TV. The writer Robertson Davies once wrote :
“ The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.”
Annie Murphy Paul writes a weekly newsletter called ‘The Science of Creativity ‘. A few months ago she challenged people to seek out impossible experiences, ones that challenge us, shake our view of things, experiences and life, to allow us to see things afresh. Exposure to alternate views of life, art, film, photography, things that challenge the normal or the ordinary, that can allow us to see the world and our creativity in a different light. Allow you to reinterpret the ordinary.
“ After all, the thing that looks most ordinary might be the thing that leads you to victory.”
Matt Haig.
My collage experience a few days ago with fellow therapists shook up my perception, challenging my ordinary, seeing the world in a different way. Just think, scissors, glue, paper and magazines pushing the boundaries of my ordinary and my perceptions. The ordinary becoming the extraordinary. The proactive side of inspiration, impossible experiences. Lovely days people.
“ Don't wait until you know who you are to get started.”
Austin Kleon.
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