Reading all the social media gets so overwhelming, as does being saturated in the mainstream media. The voices become deafening. And slowly it becomes noise.

It’s lightly raining outside this morning. I’d love to race out and get my teeth stuck into my latest project, but I can’t as today I have work commitments. I’d prefer to be working at the computer on this dry days, and keep the wet ones for photographing.

Despite having the best intentions to work on my grand new project while I am staying at home and physically distancing myself from people, I have consistently found it very difficult to get into it. Why? Because the noise is overwhelming, what’s happening is so big…. Being an empath, I feel everyone’s stress.

In trying to make sense of it, I return to art. Abstract expressionism to be exact. Most look at it and only see noise, mess and chaos. When I look at it I feel emotions and see gorgeous patterns and incredible nuances. It is so beautiful. It appears so simple, but is incredibly hard to create successfully.

I look at the noise around me at the moment and I see patterns. People are scared. We have had our world changed dramatically so quickly, thrust upon us with out our consent. The noise is us trying to come to terms with it.

It’s a good time to be looking after ourselves. Caring for others and for resting. It’s fine not to be productive, feel overwhelmed and feel at a loss for something we all had that is currently gone. We all need time to adapt.

My walks give me that healing time. Listening to the birds in a quieter Sydney is one of the joys. Walking in nature, and communing with trees is healing me. Helping me get through. It’s a good time for forest bathing. Breathing deeply and listening to Mother Nature.

What can you do that gives you your healing time?

Wattle… Photograph and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2020.