GROWING STRONGER

ILLUSTRATOR PAULA KNIGHT TURNS TO NATURE AS A SOURCE OF COMFORT AND HOPE IN DIFFICULT TIMES

I’d been ill for some time and during my recovery it helped me to imagine being as strong as an oak.

When I felt well enough, I collected acorns from areas that would have been mown. I pledged three of them to a tree-planting scheme, reforesting areas that had been cleared by the mining industry.

The ones that sink are the keepers.

I was invited to plant them in their third season. It felt so positive to be able to contribute something to life.

It comforted me to think that, one day, my trees would be enjoyed by future generations and provide a home to all kinds of wildlife, especially birdlife.

My illness had demanded stillness, which meant that I saw things I wouldn’t normally notice.

The stiller I was, the closer he came, and every day he came closer.

He was a loyal friend.

‘My blackbird’ reignited a childhood passion for birdwatching.

I began to take steps to attract visitors to my garden.

Feeling close to wildlife was life-affirming - to observe it thriving gave me hope. My new hobby was an absorbing and easy way to provide interest in my life when I couldn’t go out much. To find joy and feel achievement from small goals contributed immensely to my recovery and overall happiness.

A ROBIN landed on the bird feeder!

And thinking of my trees growing into robust new habitats for birds and wildlife…

…felt restorative and helpful.

PAULA KNIGHT is an illustrator/author and comics creator. Her book The Facts of Life is published by Myriad. To see more of her work, you can follow her on Instagram @paulajkstudio