It's been a long winter. One of the last blogs that I penned at the end of last year was called, "Winter is Coming" and look at us now. We've just rounded the corner on Cinco de Mayo and spring is most assuredly knocking on our door. This blog has been lying a bit dormant along with the plants and flowers in my yard. It's a bit of a puzzle why because I have been blissfully unencumbered with commitments. I've had plenty to do to keep me busy but I have not felt frenetic nor ridiculously overloaded like I have felt for so much of my professional life. I've been doing lots of reading and writing and thinking about what's next so I've had plenty of time to blog. But inspiration was stirring in me in other places, with other projects. Maybe this blog was resting and waiting for spring just like everyone else. But back to springtime. What a glorious season!Let's look back a bit to where it all began. We had a spectacular summer last year with the gardens overflowing with blooms, blossoms and produce. We also enjoyed our fish pond with some beautiful water lilies blossoming several times a week and a collection of fish that I bought at the pet store for $.10/ a piece. I had completely resigned myself to the fact that the fish would likely perish when the temps were sub zero. So, imagine my delight when I wandered by the pond a couple of weeks ago, with the layer of ice just having dissolved. There swimming around happily, were my fish. This made me deliriously happy. Unreasonably happy really.
So now I move my energy and attention to the gardens. This is especially delightful this year because I am immersed in a production of The Secret Garden. It is a beautiful play about a group of characters who wake up and find joy in their lives after much sadness, or dare I use the analogy- a long, cold winter.
I marvel every year at how my gardens that look to be quite dead are just waiting for the sunshine, warm days and spring rains to bring them back to life. It's really quite miraculous. So too is the wonderful process of bringing a story to life on stage. It begins with a group of disparate actors, directors, and artists of all kinds. As the director, I have been thinking deep thoughts about this play for months, but now at last, we are coming together as a collective and bringing it to life. What a thrill it is to watch the discovery that happens in the rehearsal process. And likewise, what a thrill it is to watch the natural world out my back door come to life. Just like in the play, everyone seems to be helping out. The chickens are free ranging and fertilizing the ground. The birds are busily planting their nests and distributing seeds around. I wonder if my fish and frogs have their own dance of rebirth and collaboration? I bet somehow they do. And if there is one lesson that the garden teaches it is patience. We watch and we wait. We allow all things to emerge when they are ready. This is a wonderful lesson for a director as well. There are two months before our production will open. That is plenty of time to allow everything to bloom- both on stage and off.
Ahh. Yes indeed. This is my very favorite season. I am waking up to sunshine and the world around me. I am planting another beautiful garden both in the backyard and on stage. And what is better than that? I am delirious!
