A walk to inspire

Over the weekend my boys had the flu. Not the stomach kind thankfully, but high fevers and fatigue. With this we spent the weekend in the house playing catch up on chores needing done and laundry. There is always laundry to be done with two boys.

While they were resting comfortably on the couch, sipping ginger ale and gatorade, watching Christmas cartoons or napping, I revisited a few books from the bookshelf that had collected dust far too long. Two that I flipped back through---to read my margin notes---were in The Artists Way series. A series on writing.

One of the daily activities it suggests, that I embrace, is to take a walk daily. Nothing too long, twenty minutes is suggested---for the visual stimuli and experience the world around you. It gives your imagination something to play with---watching the world go about its business.

This morning, I walked around the school before the students arrived. The fog was thick and the world appeared as shadows, which for me always adds a bit of mystery. Familiar things took on new forms until you were right up on them. (Seriously pea soup had nothing on this fog.)

This week for the Jam, I want you to take a walk, maybe take a couple walks. Allow your imagination to play. Watch people. Watch animals. Watch the world around you and then go write. Maybe about something you saw on your walk, or something it inspired in you.

I am not insensitive to those that may be housebound, so for you I have a website you can go to and take your virtual walk. Just click here. I look forward to seeing what your walk inspires.

Once you have written your poem, enter it and your name below. And please, take time to visit other that have responded as well.

See you out on the trail. ~Brian