and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
or grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time I rest
in the grace of the world, and am free.
~Wendell Berry~
Going back to last fall, my attitude and outlook has been mostly chilly to the touch. The last blog post said as much through my frustration with some non-helpful instructions for setting up my snowshoes. Reading between the lines and I'm sure it was evident I've been feeling down about my life circumstances. Well, that all started to change when a few things happened... 1) Fantasy Baseball season started, 2) My birthday 3) a pleasantly surprising congregational council meeting and 4) I set up my snowshoes and broke them in finally. It was a bitterly cold day last week (shocker) but, I was over all just thrilled to be OUT of the house for a change.
It wasn't a perfect maiden voyage, and there were definitely some equipment issues and operator errors to be tolerated...but I snowshoed! Epic. There was even time for a fire and hot-chocolate with my snowshoe companions. For just two hours something broke free within.
Each day we are closer to spring. Each day the sun seems to shine a little brighter. And each day I can feel my spirits lifting, my attitude and outlook warming, ever so slowly emerging from the polar vortex of both climate and soul.
I have been so indebted to the gift of music over the last few months. From adding old favorites (Motley Crue, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Queen) to rock out to or brand new ones (Gungor, Inception soundtrack, Mumford and Sons), to chill with, it's so awesome how music can both name and inspire one's mood. (I started this post to Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" which provided just the right mix of motivation to write with a simultaneous reminder that "I Rock.")
So its been a long cold winter, but every now and then life throws reminders that progress is possible, a fresh start is merely an attitude adjustment and help comes to those who ask for it. Grace and peace to you..and remember, we're already one week into Spring Training.
Don't let crappy instructions keep you down. Just Google or YouTube that sucker.
