Pushing Through...

For the most part we are all just pushing through life.  Sure, it seems like some people's life is all easy sailing.  No worries, no struggles, no loss.  I beg to differ.

Reality is we are much like the bulbs of spring.  Planted with hope, weathered over time to bloom in a new season.  In the mean time we push through some hard stuff.

We push through heartache, through job losses, through financial difficulties. We push through illness and grief.  We push against the curve balls of life and we embrace the joys that come along the way.  Often one would never know the challenges we endure.  We assume, all is well, and never scratch the surface to see. Some never share the challenges they are pushing through.  Some open their hearts and share the burden.  Grace blooms twice when they do.  

We look for signs of growth, we worry they will never come, and when they do we worry they may be nipped in the bud.  Growth comes...I promise you that. Sometimes in stealth mode, sometimes with bells and whistles.  It comes to all of us.  So we wait.  Until the day comes we push through the hard times and bloom again.  

Down Time and Snow Days

I am not one of those people who gear down very easy.  I'd rather be busy. I'd rather go go go.  Part of leaving the city and taking up small town life is finding peace and comfort in the quiet.  Finding time to witness nature, experiencing solitude.  So even though I work full time, have 3 dogs, garden, play on Facebook (a lot!), cook and try to craft a bit I am trying to find more time to be, rather than just do.

Nothing like a good snow storm to slow me way down.  I remember when my kids were little and we had snow days.  Whoohoo - they loved that.  It meant movies, shoveling, sledding, baking, shoveling, sledding and snow pants in the dryer.  They were full days even if they never left the yard.

Now snow days are different and I'm working to embrace them on my own terms.  Mostly I'm striving to embrace time to gaze out the window, to be less productive and enjoy that more.  Nothing wrong, and perhaps everything right, with accomplishing nothing for the day.

Don't get me wrong I took time to crochet, to blog, to walk the dogs.  And of course we didn't go hungry.  I did have to make a conscious effort to relax into the change of pace.  It's okay to sit and dream.  To gaze into the fireplace.  To marvel at Mother Nature (pretty sure she wants us to).  It's the stuff of peace and a happy heart.  It's okay to be and not do.  So I did.