What drives us?

What drives us? What is it and does it change over the years. I have been thinking about this quite a lot recently. In my early years I loved music and learned to play the piano reaching diploma standard by the time I was sixteen. It was music and the love of it that drove me then. But a love of art also joined in, painting, drawing and just being outside doing this too. When my children were of school age I was working, going to art classes and studying part-time for a degree in science mainly geology. Then the love of the landscape took over together with the music and art. It was good to know how the landscapes I loved so much had formed and this drove me onwards to find out more.

Throughout my working life music had played an important part as well as painting and being outside in nature. But when I got the opportunity to retire, did these things change? I now had time to do other things but music and art were still there as a driving force but then I began to write.The writing has taken over from the painting but the music is still a part of my life even if I can not play the piano so much nowadays. But I can’t seem to stop writing. I research for historical writing and watch nature for my creative writing but everything I have done is a form of creativity.

So what do I call that urge to create, that urge that drives me on? I have no idea what to call it but it comes from deep down in my soul. Creating is a way of life, I need to do it and am compelled to do it. Some would say Spirit is driving me on? What would you call it? What drives you on each day and forward into the future? Has it changed over the years? Could you survive without this urge to do things? Even now as my physical body is failing me my brain is active and I keep writing as in this blog. Why do I do this I ask myself. I could sit back and relax and do nothing but that is not my way. I need to be active and if I can’t get outside in nature like I did when I was younger, than at least I can write and take photos. I think I would wither away without this in my life.

Spring and keeping busy

It is that time of the year when everyone writes about the coming of Spring but I want to write about something different. Lots of rambling thoughts have been going through my head this week and I hope they have sorted themselves out to make this an interesting blog.

Although time seems to be speeding up and the weeks rush by, there are some days when time seems to go very slowly. I remember saying to my son one day while talking on the phone, that I had been bored for some of the day. He could not understand this as I have plenty of hobbies. I write, I research family and local history, I craft, sewing, some knitting and macrame or weaving, I read a lot and I love adult colouring books so why would I be bored. I am sure you all know about the times when you really do not feel like doing any of those things. I do listen to music, mainly on the radio and I meditate at times. But the days can be very long if you get up early and do not have the means to get out. I did not go out for at least 4 days last week and the only contact with others was via the computer and the phone.

So how do I deal with this? Well, I don’t deal with it really. Sometimes I go and have a nap which often helps. If the weather is good I will stand on the doorstep and look at the clouds and the little bit of garden that I have. In the summer I can sit outside and enjoy nature more but it is winter now and too cold to sit out and definitely too wet! I try to take these days as they come and I know that the next day might be much better and the muse will appear so I can write or do something else creative. I am not a fan of the TV as I prefer to do things myself not watch others doing them although occasionally there can be some good programmes to watch. So how would you, my readers, deal with days like these? If you are young these kind of days may be a long way off but if like me you are retired or almost retired then these days may soon be upon you.