Summer solstice has just rolled around. The Sun doesn’t actually halt at the highest point of its orbit, but nonetheless our human symbol-oriented brains cannot help attaching significance to the event. And why not? Might as well take the opportunity to look down at the orbits of our lives and reflect on the direction we’re heading.
Relax, though! Summer is not prime time for introspection. There is so much life happening in the world bursting with greenery around us that our inner voice is easily drowned out by all the impressions. I, for one, am thoroughly overwhelmed by the season. I am a lot more at ease with the fact, though, than I was ten years ago or so. I have learned to allow for space around things, to give myself time to digest all that happens around me that I cannot help taking in.
This weekend, for instance, I spent at a storytelling festival. It was absolutely wonderful. Being exposed to a cavalcade of interesting, amusing, moving or horrific stories. Meeting other storytellers who were all so very friendly and who welcomed me and my style of telling with open arms. I even met a fellow sonnet-enthusiast (rare in this day and age!) whom I cannot wait to exchange poems with. It felt like coming home.
I’ve lain low on the creative front for the past half a year. A well-needed hiatus, as I had a move to deal with and have sought to settle into a calmer state of being. Am I ready to let the spirit of creativity possess me once again? I think so. The festival was a spark that kindled a desire to let storytelling become a greater part of my life. Maybe even the defining trait?
For the next half a year, I’ve decided, I will offer myself the opportunity to dive deeper into the art of oral storytelling. I’ll take a university course. I’ll engage with storytelling groups and scenes beyond my own little circle of friends. I’ll experiment and search for my own voice or style, maybe throwing poetry and music into my practice along the way.
I have no idea where this will take me, but it will be an interesting journey for sure. And I’m so ready for it. So many of the weird and winding paths I’ve walked have led in this direction.
What will your focus be for the next half a year or so? Will you dive deeper into something familiar? Or will you allow your life to take an entirely new turn?
Love and stories,
Tim
