Opening
Time to Take a Second Look
instead of feeling self-critical
about my relationship with time
i.e. a little obsessive,
a little uptight,
instead of berating myself
i.e. you’re so rigid,
why can’t you just relax and go with the flow,
instead of resisting the relationship
i.e. pretending to be relaxed,
acting nonchalant,
i turn resistance on its head
and surrender.
it’s time for a second look at time,
time to stop telling myself
i don’t have time
to paint and write.
it’s time for me to
invite a timer
invite a tracking app
invite an accountability app
into my modus operandi,
time to set specific time-bound goals: write or paint
for a minimum of 30
minutes per day for a minimum of 5
days per week.
i am reminded of days gone by
when i was frustrated
by my very clingy preschooler;
i was desperate to move freely,
no one attached to me day and night.
the advice?
embrace your child,
open your arms and heart
and hold him close.
what!
are you not hearing me?
but, as then, now:
meet the need,
meet the need.
then—
clingy preschooler
stops clinging.
now—
i embrace time,
open my arms and heart
to hold it close, and
within what seems to be
no time at all—how can this be!—
creativity sings
in every cell of my body
over and again,
without limit,
every day
expanding
into flow
and timelessness.
i repeat:
flow
and
timelessness!
poems every which way i turn
paintings every which way i turn
paradox every which way i turn
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3 x 3″; watercolor on paper
card #14 in a series of color swatches
2025
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Notes about poem and art:
• “Time to” tells of my shift from a sporadic, conflicted, I-don’t-have-time wrestling-match-of-a-relationship with sustaining a creative practice earlier in the year to a place where my creative energy has been front and center for four months now, has delicious nourishing flow, has shifted my monkey mind to where it is no longer 100% my default navigator, and has landed squarely in timelessness—timers and apps not needed.
• Suncatchers almost missed a chance for an appointment, but then just the right nasturtium flowers were in bloom together and I was excited to open up the opportunity for them to pose for painting and photographing. We all came away so happy to have connected.
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19 responses to “Opening”
I needed more “time” to let this post rattle around in my head today. Your poem is so thoughtful and rings true for me too. Embracing time and holding it close…and just letting it be…actually sets us free. Free to create, write, walk, notice…. no matter how much or little time we have in any particular moment.
And as someone once said…time enjoyed wasted is not wasted time.
Your Suncatchers Twirling Their Skirts swatch painting is fantastic!
I stopped to savor your response, MaryAnn; thank you! I know that embracing time and holding it close can set me free, but I don’t always remember. SO grateful when I do!
And thanks for appreciating those twirling nasturtium skirts! They catch and hold my eye every time : )
Liked by 1 person
So sorry to be late responding, holidays and stomach virus!
Time: wonderful poem. I am always haunted with “how much time I have left”. Need to do more! With this new online workshop I see I can scribble for a minute and do something.
Nasturtiums are so colorful. Funny you mention skirts, in Hebrew the name of this flower is Monk’s Hat. כובע נזיר
Carol, sorry to hear about stomach virus. Hope you are well past it by now.
Thanks for your feedback re “Time to Take a Second Look.” I just returned last night from a two-week trip to the Pacific Northwest; after a luxurious stretch of vacation timelessness, this morning I am dealing with jet lag and disorientation in time!
Our nasturtiums, which had seemed to be on the way out weeks ago when I snagged a few to paint their bright colors, are thriving and abundant and wildly colorful all these weeks later. Thanks for sharing the Hebrew Monk’s Hat name for this flower!
LOL. This one was not you!
In answer to your question, two clingy preschoolers, and one preschooler who was never clingy but on the first day of kindergarten just about laid on the floor and held me captive by the ankles.
Aren’t those nasturtium just dazzling?! Thanks for enjoying with me just how GORGEOUS they are : )
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