I Cultivate my Inner Garden

This morning, I look outside my window and see a bleak landscape:  snow and wind, icy streets and frigid cold.  It is January, after all, and this is to be expected in Rochester, NY.  As I turn within, however, breathing and focusing in prayer and meditation, my inner world is a rush of beauty and color.  I realize that I can create a beautiful garden in my inner sanctuary even in the dead of winter.

I envision lilacs and roses, peonies and Shasta daisies - all my favorite flowers come to life and I am suddenly struck by the power of  imagination.  It is the stuff of books and artwork, music and movies; the creative drive is what motivates us and gives us the desire to keep on living in a world that is uncertain and sometimes scary.

I remember as  a young child, discovering the joy of the written word, first in the bedtime stories my mother read to me, then when I learned to read and a whole new world opened up to me.  I could imagine every detail of what I was reading, visualizing characters and scenes that came to life because someone imagined them first.  It seemed like magic to me!

Today, I encourage you to find that magic...use your imagination to visualize something beautiful, bringing to life your inner garden and rest there, allowing its energy to refresh and renew your spirit.