I cycled into a storm

Visual Treat #8

Welcome to Resurface, with me, Tamzin Merivale.

I’m an intuitive artist, writer and mentor, and this space is for creating deeper connections not only to others, but to parts of ourselves that have been forgotten, neglected, or are waiting to be discovered. It’s time to see the unseen, to hear the unheard. My mission is to show you just how much you light up the world around you, simply by existing. You can learn more about some of the work I do here.

At the beginning of every month, I post a “Visual Treat” — an illustration or a photograph alongside a short prompt. Welcome to this month’s instalment.

Fine art print available to order here.

I cycled into a storm

Bruised clouds crept in, as if sucker-punched — the white fluff beaten from them — all blue sky swept aside.

My thighs burned — 51kms, 52kms… Up and down and up again.

The air crackled, humidity sapped, weighty water hovered above.

A storm and I, neck-and-neck, hurtling towards our destination — who will get there faster?

Could my pedalling possibly beat air and electricity?

The resounding thunder answered, “NO.”

My destination dangled ahead, on a thread. Perhaps I could arrive, unscathed. I’d take a hot shower, sit with my muscles zinging and a cup of tea in hand, and perch on my balcony to watch as the rain hammered the surface of the lake, lightening flashed on the peaks, and the wind pushed palm trees to their knees.

But the storm cared not for my plans (nor my presence) and was swiftly gathering pace.

Storms are picking up everywhere, and we cannot outrun or ignore them anymore. How often do we find ourselves pedalling ferociously, attempting to stay out ahead? To skid and swerve and do our best to avoid it?

And while we do, we don’t even notice that all of our light has been blotted out, the spacious expanse of sky sapped from our days, as we hide, dodge, or look the other way.

But the storms still gather. Eventually, they catch up.

Instead, we can choose to stand strong in the squall — to let it all soak in.

The fat droplets of rain bring answers, when you let yourself get wet.

The lightening bolts illuminate the path forwards, if you’re willing to see it.

Which storms, both in your personal life and worldwide, are your trying ignore/avoid?

What might you be missing as you attempt to look the other way? Can you confront them and take action instead? What joy might be waiting on the other side of that?

Until next week,

Tamzin xx

P. S.

I was so delighted to see that there was so much interest in my upcoming container, “Creative Outsiders”. I have a couple of spots left, so if you’re interested and want to know more, let me know here.