Seeds of Inspiration: Taking Time to Create

When was the last time you slowed down long enough to be overwhelmingly inspired by your surroundings? A sound? A smell? The color or texture of a rock, plant, or building? The movement of a cloud?


For me, I never felt I had the time to stop and “smell the roses”. I worked constantly. Even when we would spend the summers on the lake, I would spend my lake time on the boat with the laptop and a calculator. Then, 3 days before my 30th birthday, it happened-- chest pain, shortness of breath, unbelievable fatigue, and test after test after test performed by a myriad of specialists. I was literally stopped in my tracks. Nearly a year later and we are close to a firm diagnosis.

God, in his infinite wisdom, has given me a gift with this illness. Time. I can no longer work in the fast-paced corporate field that I excelled in before. Now, I have time to explore the wonderful world of His creation and the creative drive He has given me, and I am completely dependent upon Him for the strength to create everyday.

My new adventure is inspired by the lowly dandelion. My hubby hates them. They seem to spring right back up before he can even finish mowing the lawn. However, they bring back great childhood memories for me. When the wind blows and you see dandelion seeds floating like little parachutes on the breeze, you know that they will spring up soon in someone else’s lawn. It’s a miracle of design. That little yellow, edible “sunflower” turns into this perfect sphere of hundreds of white fluffy seeds that are carried by the breeze to the far reaches of the land, each waiting for the perfect spot to land and spring up to start the cycle again. Dandelions evoke great emotion as well. They anger and annoy the lawn worker, they entertain children (and the child at heart), they liven up salads and other dishes, and they remind me that I am alive and still have a purpose.

~ Jenn