Editing, a satisfying journey.
I am a writer and a gardener. A Garden Writer. Both activities require the skill and joy of editing. In the garden on a low, cooling August day, when one has been away physically and mentally from the rapidly growing plants (and weeds) for several weeks, taking a closer, more intimate look is overdue.
I love to nestle close to the flowers, sitting among them – seeing them up close and personal. The earthy aroma, the buzz of bees, the remarkable beauty of growing things is intoxicating and healing. The straightforward task of eliminating the bottom row of worn and tattered daylily leaves, trimming the fallen and broken daisy stems, and cutting back the dried and dormant bleeding heart creates such satisfaction. Now you can see the plant structure and form where visual chaos once reigned. Thriving, active elements shine in their late summer glory.
Editing is a satisfying journey with delightful results. Spaces, pauses, ground, visual relief, harmony, cohesion, and flow are the norm, replacing chaos, crowding, a cacophony of colors. It is the same practice with words.
When you edit words, the sense of relief grows as the tempo slows. Fewer words, reduced chaos, and more comfortable reading result in the proper sense of harmony as the words snuggle together, happy in their location and expression. When you stand back and look at the overall scene, the sense of relief and satisfaction is delightful. One has created from a jumble of thoughts a coherent stream, an edited, rewarding journey.
