Welcome to Day 27 in our community jaunt through The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day.
In her memoir, Bless Your Little Cotton Socks, Diane Radford, MD shares the quirky sayings of her delightfully inventive Scottish mother. The saying inspired the title of today’s prompt.
In my journaling, I explore a phrase my Dad often used, “I’m tickled by _____.”
I immediately think of something that tickles me—the 5 beautiful air plants that hang in my bedroom, a room too small for even a small side table to hold a plant.
I’ve always wanted a plant in that room and I finally found my solution when I discovered a beautiful wall hanging air plant holder on Etsy.
Ever since I hung these plants in our bedroom I feel lighter, happier in that room. And these plants truly fill me with delight.
In today’s journal I imagine a conversation with my air plants and I name them each.
You, with the thin, feathery stalks? I think I’ll call you Fred.
And #2 (from the left), your leaves remind me of the juicy succulent aloe plant. I’ll call you Aloo.
#4- tall and majestic you hold the center. You reach for the heavens, unbound. There’s that one tallest, skinniest stalk that curves more than the others, the way fine hair curls, and thick hair falls straight. The opposite of what one may think. I’ll name you Magic Johnson for your height.
We come to you—sleepy. Too narrow a base to fit into the hole (you’d slip right through), I lay you down on the side between holes 3 and 4. You certainly disturb the symmetry. I tried you on the windowsill but that felt dangerous. One too rough lowering of the venetian blinds would be the guillotine for you. And so, here you are, representing all in life that slips out of the box I’ve made for it—every emotion I’ve tried to suppress, every embarrassing impulse, every faux pas or act of greed. Is it a heavy burden to hold all those projections? No wonder you prefer to lie on your side. Maybe I need to take some colored wire and beads and ribbon and make you a home of our own. Make the world fit to your specifications—and not the other way around—celebrate your beautiful differences.
Number 5, in hole #4, owing to Sleepy’s current position at 3.5: Cousin It, for the way your leaves curl. But no. Cousin It’s hair curled own to the ground and yours is more star-like, extending in all directions. Spiny? Tumbleweed? None of these captures your grace. I shall need to sit with this and name you when you’re good and ready.
Now, I feel silly naming you. I should have asked you your names! What’s that 5? Squiggly? Squiggle? But Squig for short.
What do you imagine your readers saying after you publish or share some creative project?
If you’ve never shared a comment on today’s blog before, this is your chance to share a little something—a phrase or even a word from your imagined reader. We want to hear your voice! Sharing even a word can empower you to feel:
a) a sense of belonging
b) more confident
c) bolder
Your Muse will thank you for it!
