With certainty know that we all have different interpretations of whatever words we hear. We put different meanings on words, events, and conversations. I usually see this in the way we use our belief systems to interpret. Recently, it became so clear to me in yet another way–in my writing group.

I just started meeting with a group of women writers every Wednesday afternoon to enjoy free writing in the spirit of author Natalie Goldberg and her book Writing Down the Bones.

We have a stash of topics in a pile, or someone just makes one up in the moment. We set the timer and start writing. At the sound of the bell, we stop and read to each other, sometimes repeating the reader’s lines or words that were memorable or meaningful.

I find it fascinating how we can take one topic and have a different perspective, words, voice and style.

One of last week’s topics was, “What’s Blooming?” There were 8 of us with 8 different perspectives, like fingerprints, each unique. It may help increase our happiness quotient if we realize that we are each writing our own memoir as we make our interpretations throughout the day. Someone else may have a whole different slant on things, and that doesn’t make them wrong.

Anyway, I thought I’d share a few of the interpretations with you from What’s Blooming?

Mary Ellen: What’s Blooming? Bright daisy-yellow sneakers in a shoe box marked “summer.”
Sassy strappy black heels in the box marked “dress up.”
Heavy brown and denim blue on thick soles
in the box marked “hiking.”
Glassy heels, thin clear straps dotted with diamonds
in a white box marked
“for dancing on the patio near the beach in Hawaii.”

Day dreams blooming on the page like peonies in the garden.
Each week a new flower arrives in the garden of her mind,
color and scent creating visions on the page.

Lenora: What’s Blooming? I’m actually excited about driving to Hy Vee in Washington to pick up my butterfly weed plants, not butter fly bush, but weed. Bright orange like Diana has in her wonderful garden. I looked for it last year with no luck. The dark purple bearded iris, smelling like grape bubblegum or Popsicles I used to buy at Lopez store up the alley from my house. Daisies, that dance like skinny legged ballerinas. I tried to pull them up this spring because they are so messy after they bloom. A mess for the rest of the summer. But they insist on dancing. Dancing as fast as they can in their garden beds.
Purple climbing jackamani up the white crooked trellis.

Sallee: What’s blooming? Besides peonies and old-fashioned roses, wild phlox in the ditches, geraniums in the window box and in the pots at the foot of the back steps, Poppies soon will come. Purple sage and hints of wild almond that almost got taken out a few years ago by an unwitting gardener who didn’t recognize it, Chives in the herb garden and wild indigo under the witch hazel.

Brianna: What’s blooming? I so enjoy the lotus flower blooms in Dee’s pond. The gorgeous white beauties are celestial beings that sit gracefully on boats of lush green lily pads, floating on muddy water.

Carolyn: What’s blooming – onto the roses – they’re having a riot of fun, showing off on street corners and among shrubs. The June roses – growing, growing – even October’s change can’t stop them – but then again it does…
What’s blooming – new streets down Burlington – stimulus package money? Or a pre-determined repair from some transcendental budget forged long ago? I see young men – kids, working on these street projects – one who looks to be no more than 19, wielding a jack hammer on the corner of 5th and Burlington.

Want to free write? Choose this topic, “What’s Blooming.” Set a timer for 5-10 mintues and keep the hand moving. Write without editing as you go. We did this particular writing in 3 minutes.

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

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You are welcome to reprint, copy, or distribute Lenora Boyle’s article, provided author credit is included.