Hello Spring: Leaning Toward Light

I offer this as an 'escape' book

while we wait for Spring to unfold.

Thank goodness for Spring and for the delightful anticipation of new life, new growth, new warmth, and longer days filled with light. We sometimes see plants in gardens, or in the wild, leaning toward light when they find themselves too much in the shade. Jesus once said he is the light of the world, and I find myself leaning in towards him as the giver of light. My soul and body crave light. I love watching the sunshine spilling into my living room windows. Although the weather is still a tad cool around here, the moment will come when I play Spring's tune and fling open the windows to catch the warming breezes. I would definitely include that in my list of one thousand moments of joy.

I came across a lovely bit of information about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Someone online had the opportunity to peruse private correspondence between Jacqueline and other people. Jacqueline often sent books to her friends, and tucked within the pages of one such book, this person found a little card that read, "Dear—, This is an 'escape' book for rainy winter days. With much love at Christmas, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis".

In the spirit of Jacqueline, I want to share a new-to-me anthology with you. It's filled with lovely poetry and whimsical illustrations that has been an escape book for me the last few days. I love the title Leaning Toward Light, and isn't that what many of us are doing these days? If you go online, you can glimpse a few of the inside pages. Click here.

It's a pretty book and fits comfortably in your hand. Filled with garden-themed poetry, it lets a person feel part of the whole growing season. "Much like reading a good poem, caring for plants brings comfort, solace, and joy to many. In this new poetry anthology, Leaning toward Light, acclaimed poet and avid gardener Tess Taylor brings together a diverse range of contemporary voices to offer poems that celebrate that joyful connection to the natural world." - from the description on amazon.ca

What I really want to say, the book isn't just for gardeners. It's for anyone. If you find comfort in caring for plants in your home or enjoy arranging flowers in vases, I think you'd love it too. It offers that little escape when you're longing for something green and vibrant during those times your own world feels a little brown around the edges. The poems are lovely to read and the illustrations are feasts for the eyes.

Does anyone watch the British garden show Gardener's World with Monty Don? There's a wonderful poem by American writer Cynthia White in the anthology who wrote a piece "Gardeners' World, or What I Did During the Plague". She describes how the show was her own escape during the pandemic as she watched Monty tend his garden while his old dog dozed in the grass. Gardener's World was one of our own places to escape during those crazy times. Cynthia called it her 'fear-free hour'. 

So, if you're looking for something as you wait for your garden to unthaw and spring into life, this is the book for you. Escape for a few minutes and lean into the light.

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day.

As someone said, remember, they can't cancel the spring.

Brenda

Photo credits:

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

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I post on Fridays