As I meander through my backyard in Jamaica, I'm bombarded with flashbacks of myself as a kid yearning for a simple life.
I'd spend much time outdoors because indoors there was always an unsettling feeling as if there was too much of nothing, which perplexed my mind.
Oftentimes, the only success I had at tuning out disharmony, chaos, and finding order, was in the company of the trees and nature around me.
... and throughout my life, solitude, calmness, and nature are some things that have been valued and used as a compass in my life toward my minimalist level of contentment.
It's pretty lush here in Jamaica because we do get a reasonably fair amount of rainfall, so everything is green and thriving... and being back in the tropics, makes me want to experience the elements of nature more.
I do love the smell, the sound, and the feel of rain pelting down on me, and whether I'm sitting on the front porch or in my back garden it's always delightful to experience a heavy downpour.
The outdoors is where freedom, mental clarity, and inner peace are felt, and there's a comforting and grounding feeling of the earth beneath my feet.
The fresh natural air always feels right with my conscious and subconscious self, and I've dreamt of being able to roam this space for what seems like forever, so I cease every moment to enjoy it all.
My family was never big on farming such as rearing animals, (something I would have liked), but from a very early age, stewardship of the land was instilled in me by my mum who took pride in growing fruit and nut-producing trees.
My mum spends endless hours tolling and clearing the land, and she has always prioritized obtaining seeds and fruit trees of high grade, from frequent visits to agricultural shows. Therefore, our backyard has always been an orchard with seasonal fruit within arms reach, and being able to feed myself right on my playground has always made me feel charmed.
So throughout the years, there are different fruit available and ever-changing. I missed some of my favourites such as mangoes, but for me, it's just great to be back home.
There used to be a big almond tree where I'd hide out at the top for the solitude of a different level, but it's now gone. Due to the nature of the land and the natural disasters prone to this area, many plants were uprooted and washed away.
Still, I'm lucky to have mangoes, bananas, June plums, passion fruit, starfruit, naseberries, and more, and it has always given me much joy to be able to walk right to my backyard to enjoy delicious fruit.
I'll be harvesting some fruit tomorrow, so I hope to share some more with you.
It's a pleasure for me to journal this part of my life, as I have nothing much of my time spent here in my backyard, where it is 96 degrees in the shade... #RealHot!!!
In da shade - #ThirdWorld
Thanks for stopping by:)
