March Madness?   Oh the life of a Hermit!!

Oh my!!!  March 1^st has arrived and we are happily heading into another month of the new year.  Compared to last year at this time, life finally is starting to feel somewhat normal, if that is even possible.  February was somewhat uneventful, other than we got to witness changes in the country’s overall attitude about our current state of affairs and there still seems to be a wide-range of fear levels due to the uncertainty of our economy, health and basic quality of life issues.  Aside from these vague references, I did manage to finally get out of town for a few days…which meant taking day trips to Bend of all places!  As I was reflecting on how much I dislike Bend these days, I realized that the isolation that we have all endured these past few years has left a negative affect on my life.  I no longer enjoy going to visit other towns to explore, shop and visit…and I seem to be the happiest when I am at home, with my little Boston dog, and doing only what I feel is necessary.  The result of this is that I have become a hermit!!!

Small town life is fitting well with my current season of life.  I spent most of my adult life living in or near larger populated areas as I pursued my career which afforded opportunities to experience that would not have happened if I remained in my small town.  Although my heart was always longing for small town lifestyle, I enjoyed the benefits of living in various places in the northwest.  My husband had a lot to do with my levels of contentment and happiness, and I will be forever grateful for those years.  Now, however, I am finding myself more satisfied with less, which includes less people, less chaos and less traffic!  Now I enjoy the benefit of being with friends with whom I can meet for coffee and discussion every day if I want, participating in community events such as art classes, wine tasting sessions, lunch and dinner with people I really don’t know but appreciate, and most of all, the feeling of being known to the point that even the ladies in the post office noticing if I have been gone for a few days warms my heart!  I like waving at people I know (and sometimes people I don’t know).  I love the fellowship and bond I have with members of the church I attend and love learning from them in weekly and monthly bible studies.  I love waking up each morning with the anticipation of watching the sunrise and admiring the beauty that each morning offers.  I love snuggling under the blanket with my little dog while I do my daily devotions and meditation and listening to a wide variety of podcasts and audio books. 

So…is being a hermit so bad?   Not really…just like everything else in life, it is all about perspective!

So why do we need January????

 

Well here it is the 19^th of January and I have been wondering what on earth I could write about that would have meaning and value to the reader (if there are any).  The month of January has always been my least favorite seasons and I am sure there are many reasons that I can cite for those feelings.  As a child, I always felt that the month of January and maybe a little of February was a dark and dearie time, and compared to the excitement of the preceding holiday season (October – December), it was definitely a let down!  Of course when you add to that feeling the failed attempts to start new and refreshed habits, I often wonder why God even created January.  As an adult, this dread compounded when several bad events happened to my husband and me during this month.  Without going into specific details, let’s just say that today I equate the month of January to mean loss.

This year, however, I was determined to stay away from the never-ending negative thoughts that come with this month, and instead try to keep my focus on the positive and good things in my life.  Some days are harder than others, but if you look closely at each day and the beauty and blessing that are there, it is easier to smile and thank God for the gift of beauty and peace.  So far this month, we finally got some serious winter weather that included many snowy days, and many foggy and gloomy days with heavy frost.  Instead of complaining about having to shovel snow or defrost windshields, I choose instead to say thank you for the help I received from a neighbor and friends.  And I got to admire the beauty of the entire landscape being covered with frost and icicles.

So do I still dislike January?   Well change takes time and I cannot expect a miracle overnight! I have learned to appreciate little joys such as listening to my little canine friend has he runs at full speed down the hallway every morning hoping to encourage me to move faster to open the door for “potty-time” and breakfast.  He also makes me smile and sometimes laugh-out-loud when he sits on my lap and pushes the cellphone away from my view so that I will pay more attention to him. I know that God has placed him in this season of my life for the sole purpose of giving me warm company and many smiles.

So what brings you happiness during the gloomy and depressing months?   One of my favorite authors, Rick Warren has stated many times that …”the more grateful you are, the happier you are.”  I need to remember that….

A New Year...A New Begining?

 

Well here it is…January 1^st in a new year.  As usual, this is the day that we spend time reflecting on the previous year and establishing wonderful goals and plans for the coming new year.  As I think about this, I wonder why we feel it is necessary to go through this process, and usually by the middle of January, we have moved on with the “same ole’ thing” or the same bad habits.  When I get honest about this annual ritual, I have to admit that my hope for a better life, a better community, a better country and a better world is the one constant thing in my life.  So what makes this day or coming new year different?  Probably nothing!

So is this being to cynical?  Probably…but yet it comes from so many years of the same thing.  I turned 65 years old last year and that significant milestone seemed to affect me in ways I did not expect.  I am glad to have made it this far and I realize that at this point in my life, I have more behind me than what is ahead of me.  Facing our morality is a sobering thought but since I am a follower of Christ, I know that I can look forward to a glorious future in Heaven as promised by God in his Word and is one of the joys in my life. 

So with that said, I choose to strive to enjoy each day on its own and pray that I choose to view the positive and avoid the negative in my thoughts, actions and words.  Today I choose to be mindful of the thoughts that stream in my head and when I find myself obsessing on negative conversations-- to stop and to ask for God’s help in turning the negative into positive. 

As a final thought today, my second goal is to spend more time updating this blog…so that it becomes more of a daily or weekly habit in lieu of an annual event!  😊

Happy New Year!!