Lara Tupper: Swift Ink Stories

Getting Outside   

As a writer, I often feel bound to my desk, stuck inside my busy brain. But in June, in the Berkshires, the serendipitous combination of warmer weather and wild animal sightings gives me new reverence for the outdoors. Just this week I spotted a fox, deer, groundhog, rabbit and many salamanders.

I recently wrote about animals totems for Kripalu Resources and came across a quote from Ted Andrews, author of Animal-Speak. â€œWhen we fail to reverence any aspect of nature and our intimate connection to it, we are failing to reverence intimate aspects of our own self." What a delicious invitation to be more observant. To notice sensations and details, both inside and out. This month, I invite you to listen to what nature has to tell you. 

June writing exercise: Remember playing outside as a child? The joy (or fear) of recess? The fascination with caterpillars or ants? The chalk drawings on pavement? Whether you grew up in the country, the city or somewhere in between, take …