Underneath It All

Summer is here! Summer means lots of things. Sunshine, hot-weather, and yard work are among the many items that come to mind for me.

A few weeks ago I was surveying my half-acre lot, making a mental inventory of all I needed to do to get my yard in summer shape. I discovered an area I had neglected. Regretfully, I had let numerous thistles grow underneath an evergreen tree. The thistle patch was abundant. If only they were flowers. But they aren’t. The thistles are unsightly weeds. Poking through the base branches of my pine, alongside my thistle patch, was also a mostly grown mulberry tree. I had willfully let that mulberry tree grow after a former neighbor identified it.  The neighbors who were extremely environmental and health conscience had asked if I’d let the tree grow so they could pick berries. That was a handful of years ago. Those neighbors have long since moved and the only ones picking berries these days seem to be the birds that devour the fruit and leave reminders of their diet on my sidewalk.

I figure I have two choices. Choice number one, I can utilize nature’s fruit and implement the mulberries into my diet. Alternatively, I can discard the mulberry tree in attempt to beautify my landscape. There’s no sense in letting a tree so invasive grown unless I’m going to capitalize on what the tree produces. The scenario got me thinking about the decisions I need to make in regards to my writing endeavors.

It appears I’ve been so worried about certain aspects of writing that I haven’t done an intensive general evaluation on “what’s growing under my tree.” What’s impacting my writing holistically? Time management. My emotional life. My creative flow. Lack of editing motivation. There are many things to consider. The longer I go without a full evaluation the more work I’m making for myself. I would’ve been more aware of the thistles and the mulberry tree in my yard if only I’d made time to take a good look. The thistles are gone, but the tree remains. The mulberries are still green, but they will ripen soon. My days are numbered and I’ll have to make a decision and with inaction I’m making a passive decision. It’s time to for me to weigh the options of my yard and my writing. But in the meantime, why don’t take a moment, too. Do you know what’s growing under your tree?  

~Cindy