Finding the Essence of Love
A creative practice to bring love to life
Dear Friend,
This past week, I got to know the sky from a whole different perspective. My family and I spent a few days at a little house on a creek just an hour and a half from our home, but it felt like a world away.
I’m back in the landscape where I spend most of my days now, but my imagination has been expanded by experiencing different sunrises, mornings watching swallows and egrets flying over the marsh.
All of our creative practice, coming to the page to discover what’s percolating in our psyches, helps us to expand our imagination and to help us consider our lives and relationships in new and different ways.
What a powerful tool we have here at our fingertips! I can close my eyes and remember the sound of the wind over the cattails, the feeling of a cool breeze on my face, a vision of unexpected colors in the sky. I recall how those moments made me feel. I can write those moments into words and can share them with you.
When we sit down at the keyboard or open our journals, we embark on an adventure…traveling in creative space is as rich as anyway voyage we take, I think.
Since the month of June has five Sundays this year, I’m sharing a ‘bonus’ creative practice for today. (Next week, we’ll start a new theme for July. Stay tuned!)
Playing with different forms of writing is one way to stretch our creative muscles.
For the last few years, I’ve been writing in a micro format (pieces of writing 250 words or less) in addition to writing longer essays. Capturing an experience with fewer words takes us to the essence of a thing: what do we want to remember about an experience? What details stand out? What is most important? What do we want to say about it?
I’m a fan of the ‘Tiny Love Story’ column in the New York Times and a started playing with their format to see whether I could describe some of the big loves in my life in no more than 100 words. It’s been a fun practice to play with ! I was delighted in March 2023 when one of my stories was selected for publication (following a whole bunch of lovely rejections).
Creative practice for today: pick something you love. Write big, write all about it and then cut down the words until you find the essence of what you love.
Writing Practice: Set aside 5-7 minutes for this practice. Write in a journal or open a ‘Journey with The Season’ document where you can return each Sunday.
Prompt: Start by making a list of things and people and places that you love. Think of people in your life right now or great loves (romantic/platonic) from the past; animal companions who have had a profound impact on your life; or landscapes, activities, passions that fill you with love. Don’t think too hard, just list whatever comes to mind.
Pause, take a deep breath or two and look over your list. Circle the things that stand out, that really interest you.
Select one and start to describe this love. Don’t worry at all about length:, just write. Who/what is the object of your love? What have you learned about love from this person/experience? Use sensory details—sight and smell and taste and touch and sounds–to describe your experience of this particular love.
Pause and read over what you’ve written.
Circle all of the sentences that get to the essence. Cross out/delete other stuff.
Write your love story one more time. Read it out loud.
Add any details that are missing, cross out/delete again, getting rid of any words you don’t really need.
IF YOU WANT, count how many words your story is and see whether you want to cut some more to get to 100 (not necessary at all, only do if it feels fun).
What did you discover by trying to find the essence of your love story?
I would love to read your tiny expressions of love! Feel free to comment below or use the messaging app to reach me.
Deepening Practice: Every night before bed, think of moments from your day that inspired a feeling of love. Jot down what happened, what you experienced and felt. Practice writing a few more tiny love stories through the week. Notice if any ‘love patterns’ emerge. You might want to write a story for a friend or loved one and send it their way!
Wishing you love, imagination & many adventures! With my love, Gabrielle Ariella
Join the fun! Starting July 11th:
If you're seeking a fun, creative experience this summer, join us in July: Details here.
With dusk stretching longer and fruits at their juiciest, midsummer is the ideal moment to delve into the pool of your creative energies. Whether you’re facing a creative block or seeking to boost your creative drive, you’ll uncover enjoyable and effortless methods to get you going and the creativity flowing.
Shy or hesitant? No worries. These are safe and loving circles and, although we are there to embrace however you express yourself, there’s never any pressure to share what you’ve written or what you’re thinking. All the info!
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