Fertile. Abundant. Producing or bearing fruit. I’m reading these in my etymology sources as I look up the roots of the word fertility, and I’m having a number of reactions. Easter, from the Old pagan Oestar, came from a fertility festival (thus, the bunnies.) Sounds great! Sounds sexy! So why am I conflicted?
Probably because I saw the word productive and felt vaguely nauseated. I am tired of the Western way of relentless productivity. But is this the only way to be productive? Or is it merely the toxic one?
As a dedicated ecosexual, I look to nature. I have 2 citrus trees and a pomegranate tree in my backyard here in Tucson. Right now, my clementine tree is giving off a heavenly scent, its blossoms wantonly winking at the bees and butterflies, just about whistling and swinging its hips to get them over. And I think…trees take their sweet time. These blooms will not produce fruit for months. Probably not until December, but certainly not until fall. So what can I learn?
I don’t have to push myself to be fertile. Everything comes in its own time. I take a rest when I have the time, travel when I may, visit a ton of friends like the extravert that I am. I have game nights at my house and I stretch every day, I eat really good food. This is the groundwork I lay for creativity and fertility, just as I place orange peels and citrus food at the base of the trees monthly.
When fruit is ripe, it falls off the tree. When you pick it, it is easy to pull from the branch. It’s not a chore and it’s not a push at all, it’s a natural pull to the earth. After some much needed rest I have taken in the past few months, I am suddenly creating new programs, writing new classes, and it is such a joy. It is creative abundance in its natural form.
The obvious lesson here is that it was not more work that brought this on. It was rest and replenishment. Hmm. Replenish. Includes the word root for plenty. Enough to make this word-lover want to go smell more orange blossoms. Happy Spring, everyone.
