My wandering spirit and my appreciation for getting to know a place often conflict. I cherish the every day details of the plants, animals, and weather of one particular place. This summer, I have learned about the extreme tides of the Maine coast. I observe the junco and winter wren behavior day by day, month by month. I marvel at the long shadows as the season change from summer to autumn. Due to the life-changing pandemic, I canceled a road trip to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. There are days I grieve the opportunity to explore a coastal area rich with stories and music. My curiosity about the art, landscape, and cuisine of a new place is on hold while the world slows down, while I slow down, finding contentment with daily local discoveries. This quiet time has enhanced the opportunities to notice the details of recurring life within a confined space. My wandering spirit has been satisfied by deepening my understanding of the behavior of the crows, deer, and other animals and birds that have become accustomed to my presence. I’ve learned to identify the trees I walk among every day. Each day, looking at the same landscape and observing the subtle daily changes invites my imagination to question and explore while experiencing the comfort of visiting the same friends and family every day. My wandering spriting will again visit new lands and meet new people. For now, I treasure exploring the understated, yet exquisite, daily changes of every day life.
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