What's In Your Garden?

I like gardens.  Any garden.  All gardens.  They give a bit of insight into the spirit of their owner.  When I was growing up my family moved around a lot.  We rented various houses in the small town where I grew up, and while the houses might have changed frequently, the one constant I could depend on is my mother's vegetable garden.  To her, a garden's only purpose was to help feed her family and that was enough.  But I think, as a writer, gardens serve a much larger purpose.

I like to have balance in my life whenever possible.  The demands of having a full time job, numerous social commitments and still finding time to write challenges me to have a more organized "garden" where everything has it's place.  There is a level of comfort knowing that while my life may look like a maze of confusing twists and turns to others, I know exactly where my various paths will lead me.

What would I find in your garden?  Would there be streams of thoughts running throughout the rock solid ideas you have placed all around?  A daily reminder that while your life is forever changing, some things will always remain the same?

Maybe I would find that your garden is made up of long standing traditions?  A lifetime's worth of experiences creates a garden of purposefully placed memories.  It is the foundation of exactly who you are as a person; bringing comfort to your spirit and strength to your writing.

Or maybe your garden is one of organized chaos?  If I looked closely enough, I might discover where the wild things actually came from.  There is beauty in the freedom to simply be who you are, with no regrets, and to bring that fresh outlook to your stories.  The colors of the world surround you and flavor your writing.

No matter what type of writer you are, there is a sanctuary in your mind where you can go whenever you like.  A comforting spot to refresh your spirit, gather your thoughts, and where you find the magic to create your own works of art.  Writers understand the need for gardens very well.  It's where our "inner child" can roam and be free to go on whatever grand new adventure awaits.  All it takes is the right kind of garden.