Early May 2020 I had the honor of being recognized in the 30 | 30 Project and I talked about being in “The Pause.” I said I was

“digging into my groove at home, breathing through the times of fear and anxiety, and dreaming of the days ahead.”

While I still maintain my sales and marketing contract work, my “creative work” has been life-changing.

My poetic voice was birthed on May 29, 2020. I can remember the moments during the COVID-19 lockdown, Minneapolis protest, evening curfew, and the first hours of my becoming my husband’s post-surgery caregiver. All this drama burst opened a creative source that I had kept tightly closed. I wrote what was to become my first (and possibly) still favorite haiku poem that is “married” to a photograph.

reaching for kindness

love, peace, and understanding

instead of sorrow

Since early June 2020, my haiku writing practice has started early in the day, when the birds start to sing between 5:00 – 6:00 a.m. or even earlier. I ask myself, “What do I see, smell, feel, hear and touch?” I perk up my ears to hear what is happening in the house or outside my window. I focus my eyes on how the sunrise is inspiring me. I create a photograph “in the moment” and then I write …

safe in the bedroom

personal retreat moment

creative thoughts stir

On cold mornings I have the blankets over me from head to toe creating a warm, quiet, retreat space next to my husband as I’m writing poems on my iPhone Notes app. but without disturbing him.

cocooning under

covers ’til fondest verses

rise to the surface

Starting in the morning keeps me open to haiku-writing and photo-making the rest of the day. Since my iPhone is always close at hand I can compose and photograph at any time. The photograph may compliment the poem or, maybe the photograph inspires the poem.

If there have been lessons of gratitude for me during this past year, it’s the gift of discovering written self-expression through haiku and the community of poets I have met as a result. It’s been life-changing and life-saving! I am so very grateful!

no longer empty

full of creative daring

and inspiration

Since May 2020 I’ve written approximately 300 hundred haiku poems (a Japanese short form poem of three lines, 17 syllables) and created almost as many photographs.

Self-published my first photo-poetry book “Forest of One Tree – PhotoPoetry Journal No. 1, 2020 Lockdown

Designed and delivered the workshop “Mindful Creativity in the Time of COVID -19” to be updated for 2021 with modules for mindfulness, photography, and writing exercises.

In process writing volume No. 2 “Blooming Radiance – My Breast Cancer Journal” sharing my journey of 2021’s Invasive Lobular Carcinoma diagnosis, surgery, and radiation treatment (the latter starts June 1, 2021).

Five months into writing volume No. 3 “Haiku, The Story”

You can tell this is a huge leap from simply living, breathing, and existing in “The Pause.” Now I am energized to create new photographs and write new haiku poems, the best of which may eventually be included in an upcoming book or workshop.

I have a creative passion that lights an internal candle every day and for that, I am eternally grateful.