Refilling the Well by Annette Dashofy

My friend, Gigi Pandian, mentioned a while back that she has learned to take one day a week off from writing. I used to do that too, knowing the importance of refilling the well. But when Gigi wrote about it, I started thinking…when was the last time I took a real day off? Oh, I’ve taken a few half days. I would write in the morning and then spend the afternoon watching TV with my husband. But a full day? And somewhere “out?”

 It has to have been almost a year. I mean seriously. Where would we go? Out to eat or see a movie? Not happening. No visiting family or friends either. Last summer, we’d go for a drive and find a place to take a walk. But not far away. And if there was a crowd, we’d turn around and head home.

 It’s been a long year.

 And a long winter. I’ve started to feel the strain.

So I declared last Sunday a mental health day. Fishing season is almost here (which means I won’t see much of my husband on weekends), and he wanted to scout out the river and creeks where he’ll be casting flies. Off we went.

 After a two-hour drive to the Laurel Highlands, I placed a takeout lunch order on my phone. We ate in the parking lot. Then we headed into the wilderness.

I totally understand why my husband loves it here. I’m tempted to come with him and just sit on the bank and read.

 And then we came across this.

There’s a story there. My husband and I started making one up as we strolled back to the car. Neither of us knows the person memorialized by that cross, but we can imagine what he was like.

 And that’s the point of a mental health day. Refilling the well. Finding inspiration for new stories or clearing the cobwebs to better focus on the ones in progress.

 Fellow writers, do you take time away from your pages to refill the well? Dear readers, have you ever stumbled across something that made you wonder about the story behind it? Please share.