nurturing herbs and solitude

"Loneliness is black coffee and late-night television; 

solitude is herb tea and soft music. 

Solitude, quality solitude, is an assertion of self-worth, 

because only in the stillness can we hear the truth of our own unique voices."
— Pearl Cleage

 I have started an herb garden. 

Not quite the garden I imagine for my future- 

where the roots of the plants will actually dig in to the ground beneath my feet-

but its a start. A potted and well-lit start.

And when last night's vegetable baked ziti called for basil, it felt so good to reach over 

to my very own fresh basil plant and pick the exact amount needed.

I really love this excerpt from the quote above,

"Solitude, quality solitude, is an assertion of self-worth, 

because only in the stillness can we hear the truth of our own unique voices."

Tonight, I am reading and writing and letting myself be fully immersed

in quality solitude...

[something that comes pretty easily for an only child, 

but can be so easily drowned out if not nurtured ever so often]

photograph from weheartit.com