Active Imagintion

There is a character trait I've had listed on my repot card as a child that I have come to treasure; an "overactive imagination ". It does me well on long drives, it did me less well in math class. What a marvellous thing to engage your own mind and start a creative processes.

While thoughts, dreams, super ideas, ice cream parlour prototypes, and visual inspiration float through my brain I try to teach myself to write stuff down. I forget things. I lose details. The other danger I've found though is that my mind can turn negative and thinks it can throw my inspirations out the window. I have less control over my thoughts than I would like.

Currently I've spent the last 9 days in a little room with some tubes running out of my arm. I'll probably be here a while longer still. It has afforded me a lot of thought time. There are several vases bursting with colourful garden flowers and one entirely from the country fields outside the city (courtesy of my mom). They keep making me cry. Praise God for doctors and nurses, for family, for friends and for flowers from good people.

Entry 1

[This first blog post feels it should require a longer introduction. I'm avoiding this as I have a sneaking suspicion that I have forgotten how to form thoughts in written words.]

That being said I am hoping some dialog and photos on instagram might have you a little caught up to my travels. My name is Reuben, I am 23 years old. I was born in Canada. I actively seek out and appreciate beauty. Flowers and plants have stolen a huge part of my heart. I am a creative with a lot more to learn and practice. This journal of sorts might take you on a bit of that adventure, as I hope to share some of what I do, see and am inspired by.

I am currently living in Sydney, Australia. I have been here for almost six months [which feels crazy to me]. Events, experience and time here has taught me a lot already. I learned as a kid the sentiment "if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count". One of my dreams is to make flowers in the far flung corners of the earth, this was a start. I might have also felt a little bit like running away.

I picked a pretty place to run to.

[wild native orchid]

Someone spoiled me with my favourite candy the other day. I am currently rationing out a bag of Maynard's Fuzzy Peaches only available in Canada.

It is getting colder here in Sydney, Australia [something I didn't actually think was a thing]. Waiting for a bus from the city the other night, I was regretting only wearing two layers and not a coat. My back pressed against a cold concrete wall & my taste buds coming alive with the sour peach candies, I pretended I was home. A funny thing to think that home could feel like cold and peach candy.

I am currently working as a freelancer florist. This means I help out a few cool florist on large events and weddings. It has been a good experience to see and work with the flowers here, and funny to have seasons reversed to the other side of the world. I have been blessed to stay with some super people & also to form friendships. Prayers have been answered. I am thankful for all I have learned and come to appreciate thus far. Some days are overwhelming but a lot of days are great.

more soon. x