Did you ever wonder why the word ‘play’ is used to describe practicing an instrument? As a child after coming home from school and finishing my snack, I would tell my mother that I was going to ‘play the piano’. I would then sit down at the piano often practicing scales for a good half hour until I felt that I had given my fingers and brain a good work out before even beginning to play music. So what was it that I was doing all those years and continue to do on my cello today? Working or playing?
We tend to think of play as the domain of children and animals. Of course that’s not true! As I discuss in my book Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening “Play is creativity at work. It is an attitude, a spirit, a point of view, and, most of all, a way of living a life. It is a commitment to finding true joy in any act, with little or no concern about the outcome. In its purest, most unadulterated form, play is the expression of who we are when we can let go of who we are trying to be.”
So, how about if we gardeners coin the phrase ‘I’m going to play in the garden’ rather than ‘I’m going to work in the garden’ this coming year? I don’t know about you but after a great day of gardening when I have to push myself to put the tools away and close up shop, I’m happy and content, having had a grimy, sweaty, fun-filled day.
As far as what’s on deck at GGW as we begin 2011..
We are EXTREMELY excited about the following:
Tovah Martin and Noel Kingsbury have joined our roster of Contributors. If I started writing about all of their accomplishments; the books that each has authored, their multiple areas of expertise, and the inspiration that they bring to the gardening world, I’d be at the computer for a long time. Suffice it to say that you’ll be hearing alot more about and from them on GGW in the coming months.
David Perry, a rare jewel in the gardening world, is returning to judge January’s Picture This. His topic is Macro In A Mason Jar. As always, David is offering a thought provoking, compelling and out of the ordinary challenge.
As I finish another year at the helm of Gardening Gone Wild, I want to thank my colleagues at GGW. I’m in awe of how Nan, Saxon and Debra continue to write such inspirational, informational, thoughtful and often times fun pieces.
My partnership with Nan, as a co-creator and manager of GGW, has been a wonderful one; filled with creative problem solving, fun, laughter, and many times just hard work…ooops…I mean play. This coming year, Nan will be focusing on her own blog Hayefield and will no longer be a Regular Contributor (or my co-manager) at GGW. I certainly plan on grabbing her to make a Guest Appearance from time to time on GGW.
And finally, a big thank you to all of you for reading, commenting on and participating in Gardening Gone Wild. Wishing you a magnificent 2011; one filled with health, beauty, laughter, meaning….and play.
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| Photo Courtesy of Locus Flavum Garden In Holland |
Fran is the author of the highly-acclaimed book, Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening, which Andrew Weil, M.D., recommends as "a profound and inspiring book."
A graduate of the University of Chicago with Honors in Psychology, she is also a gardening and creativity expert, coach, inspirational speaker, CBS radio news gardening correspondent, and Huffington Post Contributor.
Learn more about Fran and get free resources that will help you improve your life at www.fransorin.com.
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