For two beautiful weeks I left my life of schedules, deadlines, family ties, and responsibilities behind. As I boarded the plane to Hawaii I allowed myself to disconnect from it all. No bills, babysitters, homework, or blinding computer screens. I wasn't even allowed to think about it. Finally, I was able to open myself up to my surroundings and connect to them in a way that always seemed impossible before. The world around me was always cloudy at best. An after thought in my daily rituals and to-do lists. But suddenly, I was part of it. My senses were more acute; I saw things by way of their color, smell, texture. By letting go of trying to find creativity, I found myself just being creative. I have since returned home and am trying to settle back into the routine I held before. It is unsettling, really. Responsibilities, deadlines, and a fear of blank pages may never go away. But one thing I know for certain is that I want to keep that connection forever. We spend so much time alone or disconnected from the world. I realize more than ever, that if my goal is create a world of believability, wonder, and excitement I have to see that in my own surroundings. You are never going to find your creativity. It isn't lost. You just have to allow it to be. You have to push all the other stuff away and connect to the most basic, natural parts of the world. In between laundry and 500 words by Friday, of course. 

Photo by Maisie Duncan