Hi friends,
Happy Wednesday! Hope you’re having a wonderful week.
My family and I headed to the beach for a much-needed vacation. Everyone has been working hard and we all needed time to just soak up some sun and breathe in the sea air. But this vacation was different for me. As Cara Putman shared a few weeks back about an author who left her laptop at home, I did the same. I’ve worked every vacation we’ve taken since I sold my debut novel over a decade ago. Most vacations I’d simply wake up an hour or two earlier before the rest of the clan was up. Just because I wasn’t taking time away from being with family time by getting up early, I was taking vacation time all the same.
Knowing I had more downtime, I collected a few (make that a handful of) books to read, but as the trip grew nearer, I discovered something I never anticipated. I was scrambling to think how I’d spend my time while my family slept as I’m the early riser in our crew. I mentally took an inventory of what filled me with enjoyment, pleasure, and what hopefully would replenish my creative well, and I came up blank.
Blank?!? How on earth did I forget what was fun for me? Don’t get me wrong on beach days, I love swimming in the ocean, walking with my hubby on the beach, and daydreaming on my beach towel, but during our ten-day vacation stay, there are rainy days where we just chill in the house. I told myself this was the time to catch up on all the enjoyable things I never have time to do. Then I realized the problem…
While I found peace in my daily quiet time with Christ, joy in my family and friends, I’d gotten to the point where I’d stopped investing time in myself. I spent whatever “free time” I had writing more, learning the craft, playing and working on social media. I sat back and really thought and prayed. Asking God ‘what fills my soul, what renews my creative well, how do I replenish and rest?’
The answers came—enjoy sipping coffee on the deck listening to the waves crash, taking an early morning walk on the beach, getting up simply to see the sunrise. These all brought me peace and rest. As for what helped fill my creative well? Something I thought I’d put down long ago—music. I grew up playing the flute a lot and an acoustical guitar a little. Given the trickiness of not putting wear on my joints because of Lupus, I bypassed the flute due to the positioning and purchased a very reasonable guitar along with online lessons. Playing an instrument could be seen as work, but to me, it’s pure joy.
Who knew leaving the laptop at home would bring me back to a lost love.
Reader Question: What is an activity or hobby that brings you joy?
Blessings,
Dani
Latest posts by Dani Pettrey (see all)
- Top Ten Gifts - November 13, 2024
- Outpouring of Love - October 23, 2024
- For the Love of Travel - September 25, 2024
Scrapbooking and painting! These have become my escapes and time for myself. My daughter and her three (all under 5) moved in with me after my husband died and I take care of them while she is working, and I so look forward to my creative breaks!
Wow. That’s a handful. I have two grandsons ages 5 & 7 and they wipe me out. Having three under 5 must keep you busy. So glad you have some creative escapes. That’s great.
Decorating our home with garage sale and flea market finds and babying a pretty large collection of houseplants, a couple of which I’ve had longer than my kids!
P.S. I always wanted to learn to play the guitar but never did. I play the piano, mostly by ear, and only for my own enjoyment, but we haven’t had a piano for years. Hmmm…maybe it’s time to get one again! 🙂
Hey Debb,
I love seeing your flea market and garage sale finds. You find some lovely stuff!
Maybe it is time to get one again :)) It’s amazing how music soothes my soul.
Love photography and the challenge of capturing in a photo what the eye sees. Love landscapes of places I’m visiting for the first time or even getting that rare shot of an old favorite spot. Critters intrigue me and love getting them in their natural surrounds. Thankfully we live in the Ozark Mountains and have a wide array of daily critter visitors from all sort of birds to bobcats.
What a wonderful surrounding you live in. Though, I’d feel better without bobcats. LOL! Photography is such a beautiful art!
I understand where you’re coming from. I haven’t yet published my first novel, but I’ve spent the last several years writing, learning the craft and building my social media platform. I work on these things as often as possible. But I also love music and play the flute. Maybe I’ll get it out later and remember what fun it is to play. Thanks for the reminder that we need to replenish not just draw from our creativity.
Hi Rebecca,
The flute is such a beautiful instrument. Glad you found the post helpful. Replenishing our creativity is so important. I often struggle with making time to do so.
Congrats on writing your first novel. That’s a HUGE accomplishment. What do you write?
Reading and cooking bring me joy.
Wonderful to have two things that bring you joy :)))
Reading, crosstitch, and gardening. I haven’t played the piano in a long time and keep thinking I’ll find some time to do it.
Glad you found your “lost love”. My daughter played the flute and oboe in high school – flute for marching and oboe for concert band. She even marched in the Macy’s Parade in her junior year – quite an experience.
Wow. That must have been quite an experience. How fun for her! I would really like to garden. I have container herbs, but would love to expand that. I think I’m just not dedicated enough to keep up with it, but maybe 4 herbs will expand to more this fall 🙂
Scrapbooking, unfortunately, I usually only take the time once a year when I go to an annual retreat with friends. I actually have space at home where I can set up to scrapbook when I have free time but I’m usually too tired from not sleeping well and then going to work all day to even want to try.
Sorry you aren’t able to scrapbook more at home, but love that you get to join friends at an annual retreat.
When we go to the beach, I LOVE collecting special rocks and driftwood. I try and find a spot to build one tiny fairy house, just for fun. Walking is wonderful, taking pictures, wading in a tiny bit. I love rubber stamping to make cards. Being outside and doing something different is such a great thing to do to refresh. Love that you picked up your guitar again!
I love that you build fairy houses. That is SO cool and creative!
That’s wonderful you were lead to search out something again that brings you joy! We really need to create space in our lives, don’t we? A question I often ask clients to help re-discover themselves “is what did you love to do as a child?” I have a lot of hobbies and sometimes find it tough to pick which one to do! And some I have neglected, like my guitar, but I know I will come around again.
Definitely need to create space and what a great question to ask your clients.
Cross stitch and reading bring me joy as well as sitting in the quiet with my husband drinking coffee or iced cold water.
Yes! I love sitting in the quiet with my hubby drinking coffee. On the weekends, I’ll get up and make coffee and we’ll sit in bed and share coffee and just relax or even chat. It’s one thing I really love about our weekends. Thanks so much for sharing.
Our church celebrated 75 years about 2 weekends ago. We had a choir! I love singing in choir and missed it so much when we were held back in 2020.
Wow. That’s wonderful. So glad you’re able to sing in the choir again. It’s amazing how much we all missed last year.
Drop me in a monster antique mall and I am a happy camper. The fun is in those unexpected finds! And yes, that is when I am not learning and reading about writing craft, history, storytelling, and actually writing. Crafts and gardening are out. I am horrible at both! I was singing/ringing at church, but that’s currently out for the duration.
I LOVE wandering through antique malls or flea markets…just perusing and looking for those unexpected finds you mentioned.
I’m with you on crafts and gardening. I’m terrible at the former and I’m trying at the latter, but not going so hot thus far.
Before arthritis attacked my joints, I really enjoyed crocheting as I watched a show on TV. Now, I read and review books. That is relaxing for me. I also play games like Words with Friends with distant family online. That is a touch point for me. I was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney disease, so my new hobby is finding foods that I can eat that are low in potassium and still tasty. And, of course, I enjoy visits with family and going to church.
Oh, Vickie. I’m so sorry about your kidney diagnoses. I’ll be keeping you in prayer, friend!
Love that reading and reviewing books is relaxing for you <3
I’ve been slowly redecorating and converting a bedroom from a boys’ room to a guest room/office. Making it pretty and a room for me.
I also enjoy reading and writing.
While I love to cook with the hubs, read in the evening, and travel, my passion is quilting. I’ve been sewing over 50 years, but picked up quilting about 23 years ago. It satisfies both parts of my brain – the analytical and the artistic. There’s just something about taking a pattern (whether one of my own or someone else’s) and fabric and creating something unique. I do the whole process and the majority of my quilts are given away to family and friends. And that feeds another part of my soul.