I think that everyone who has a hobby or special interest probably feels a bond with others who share that passion. I know I do, and my friends on Twitter are a good example because we are all avid readers, writers, or both. It’s easy to relate and share thoughts.
I have a friend who is a quilter, and she says the minute she goes into a quilt shop or fabric store, she feels at home with the others who are there. I used to feel that way in a book store, but lately they have gotten so big and impersonal, I wonder how many people are really there because they enjoy reading or because they want a good cup of coffee and a new friend.
I sometimes miss the old days of quaint little book stores where like minded folks gathered to roam the shelves until they found just the right book. Of course, ordering on line is also taking the place of many of the small mom and pop shops, and I guess I should be glad since Keeping Faith is available primarily on Amazon, but also on a few smaller online venues as well as assorted small bookstores.
But another place where I always feel as though I am around friends is at nurseries—garden centers for heavens sakes, not baby nurseries. The latter would be one of the last places I would feel warm and cozy. Yikes, a bunch of crying babies!!! No, give me flowers and other growing things—not kids!!
The minute I walk into a garden center I see people who smile back at me as if they know me, and have for years. They don’t; we just share a common passion. They are calm in a sea of blooms, and so am I, and it shows on our faces. The bubbling water features sooth our souls and the awaiting dirt gives us hope that with a little luck, plant food, and seeds or bulbs, we will see the fruits of our labor soon.
I never tire of my garden, filled with beautiful flowers and herbs. When I want to feel free and relaxed, all I have to do is walk outside. There I find the solitude of Mother Nature in one of her sweetest forms, and I am thankful to share a little part of it with her.