A recent writing prompt was to picture yourself getting ready to hibernate for several months. How would you set your space up and how would you feel. This was an interesting thought process as I let myself sink into this particular prompt. Hibernate for months? Could you do it? Below is how I believe it would work out for me.
Let’s take a look at this room and make a plan and I may as well talk out loud as I do it.
Okay, new area rug for sure, wash the curtains. Maybe move the couch over to that wall and get a couple more Afghans and fun pillows.
The lamps, we’ll need some nice light in here for reading and crocheting. Books! Need to get more books on the book shelf. This will be great!
Snacks and coffee. I really need to stock up on those.
Alright, this is coming right along. Comfy clothes and my favorite sweatshirts. Absolutely necessary.
I should probably think about other necessities as well. Where’s my list?
Okay, here we go. The time has come to hunker on in. Winter has come with its blowing wind and cold temperatures and we will be snug as a bug in a rug. Whoever came up with that saying anyway?
Ah, settled in. Perfect!
The days turn into weeks, the air begins to feel a bit stale and the absence of human conversation and contact is starting to worm its way into my psyche.
No problem, I’ll do some exercises and then grab a good book. We don’t care for people most times anyway. We’re good.
Days continue to come and go and the weeks have turned into months now and this perfect space is becoming smaller and smaller. Music and reading are not working now. I really have to come up with a way to not let my mind wonder to negative thoughts that end up making me feel so alone. Shit, I am alone. Completely. This may not be all that I thought it was going to be.
Okay, okay, alone time is necessary at times, but solitary confinement for several months? What was I thinking? Hibernation? I’m not a damn bear!
Let’s get those darn curtains open and let in some light.
Ah, better. Man that sunshine feels good on my face and the way it makes the snow laden branches of the trees sparkle is beautiful.
Just look at all the Cardinals out there! Bright spots of red on a never ending white background, and that chubby squirrel trying to run in the deep snow, what a silly little guy he is.
Standing in the window watching the world outside, I am able to take a deep breath. Upon the exhale, I realize that this hibernation thing is not for me, no matter how cozy and comfy I have made this space. I need to be outside. I need to be walking the fields and feeling the wind upon my face. I need to plop down on a log in the woods and just sit, listening to the birds and watching as various critters run from branch to branch. How the snow glistens in the sunlight as it falls softly to the ground. Breathing it all in.
Yep! Time to get out of my hidey hole.
Dressed in high barn boots, warm down jacket, fleece lined hat and gloves, with coffee in hand I head outside and stand in the yard. Deep breaths. I watch as my breath fogs out around me. I set my coffee down in the snow, put my arms out wide and smile.
Yes. This is better, so much better. I can finally breathe.
