Sunsets and thankfulness
and how I'm trying to hold onto that stillness during the most chaotic month of the year
I’m home now from my road trip. It was great to get away and while it was only eight days, it felt more like a month.
I took more photos of sunsets and dirt roads than is potentially possible, but I can’t help it. It’s like I’m worried I’ll forget how beautiful they are. Whenever I’m out in the outback, I want to bottle everything about my time there. The sunrises and sunsets, the stillness, the wind, the birds, the animals, the way the dirt changes colour, the rocks, the landscape, the everything. Instead, I take photos, put spoonfuls of dirt in a bag, gather seeds by the roadside and make notes.
I took the opportunity of having Matt in the car with me to brainstorm some story ideas in addition to being able to talk about things that there never seems time for when we’re at home.
You can read more about my road trip and see more photos here.
Writing
Last week, I received another kind rejection from an agent. My first response is to curl and cry, but I must be becoming more resilient as I read it and thought, oh, well. Time to send it to someone else.
I have continued to work on my new and messy manuscript. It’s fun writing new words. I have also been working on some short stories.
Reading
In the last week, I have also spent some time reading a good friend’s middle-grade manuscript. I would love to write more about it, but you will have to wait. It is always such a privilege to be asked to read someone else’s work. It was so good that it had me laughing out loud. I’m sure once it’s published, it will be a big hit for many.
I read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should all be Feminists where she explores what it means to be a feminist today. It’s a bite-size book that is worth reading.
I’m a bit behind but I’ve been working my way through the great short stories in The Big Issue Fiction Edition.
I’ve started reading Matthew Ryan Davies latest book Things We Bury. I’m not far in but it’s riveting!
Thankfulness
I’ve been thinking a lot about thankfulness over the last week especially as I travelled through the country and was reminded again how tough it is for so many people. I’ve started meditating for ten minutes each day and I find it hard to just stop thinking about anything, so I spend the time thinking about things I can be thankful for. There is so much to be thankful for.
We returned home from our week away to a full house. Our eldest is home with us until early January when he starts work in Bendigo. He’s been living in the country for most of the last three years, so it’s great to have him around. It’s even better watching my three sons hanging out with each other.
My husband has returned the shadowboxes to the outside of our laneside fence after we had the fence replaced. Now, I get to listen to the joyful sounds of children from the suburb as they find treasures and leave treasures for others.
Our beautiful dog Bella is getting old. She’s sixteen and a half and seems to be aging quickly. I’m making sure I tell her each time I pass her that I love her and give her a little pat. She’s brought so much joy to us over the ten years she’s been in our lives. I am so thankful for what she has brought us.
Listening
Of note in the last week, I listened to The First Time Podcast interview with George Saunders. Add it to your list. It’s a ripper.
Noticing
I’ve been reading a book called Designing Your Life and it’s got me thinking about noticing. Noticing what energises me, what makes me enthusiastic. It’s early days, but it is already interesting to see the things that energise and enthuse me.
Other things I’ve been up this week are gardening and spending time with the family. I’m planning pretty much the same for the next week but given how close we are getting to Christmas, there will also be catchups with friends, putting up Christmas decorations and all those other Christmasy things. I’ll be trying to hold onto some of that stillness I found last week in the outback while there is chaos around me.
Until next week, stay well.
Meg