2 posts tagged “change”

Much of my journaling over the last 3 years has been about growth and major life changes. Changes in my circumstance, attitude, plans, reality and career came fast and furious for a while there.

These days, with the exception of the ever-changing landscape at work, things have mellowed out quite a bit. But change is still everywhere, all the time, and you notice it even more when you have a chance to catch your breath and observe it.

Like this:

Me In The Yard

Lee took this picture of the tree in our front yard just a few weeks ago. It was much thicker and fuller and grown last summer, but we cut it back because a large portion of the leaves had grown in brown and sickly-looking. Cutting it back was our attempt at saving it. And so far, that attempt seems to be working:

Our Miracle Tree

A few weeks of springlike weather, including lots of rain, makes a big difference!

And then, of course, there are changes in the animal life around here. Remember this, from sometime in April?

Baby Sly 3

That little ball of fur now looks like this:

Sly Hanging Out

Sometimes, change is overwhelming and scary. But sometimes, it is just plain beautiful.

Weather-wise, it doesn't feel too spring-like here just yet. Oh, we've had some slightly warmer days. But the wind has been kicking, a kind of bitter March wind that seems to be winter getting a last slap in the butt in on its way out.

I'm one of those freaks who actually LIKES winter. And fall. And spring. I'm not much of a summer person. I was a summer person before I had a grown-up job and a dress code. After that, me and summertime sort of went downhill, except for when I'm on vacation. But even with my affinity for winter, I'm thinking this wind can bite me.

Oh, wait. It already has.

Anyway, even though spring hasn't quite sprung yet weatherwise, I'm totally feeling her mentally. Spring is the "get busy" time. The yard must be whipped in order. The taxes must be done, because I've procrastinated on them since they're a sucky task I hate (I have serious issues with sucky tasks ... in some ways, I'm still five years old). Work kicks into high gear. And in my family, we enter a season of birthdays and holidays which, while I love the family time dearly, tend to mean my weekends leave little time for all that yardwork and stuff. My "non-blog-related" writing projects tend to fall by the wayside for a few months while life takes center stage, and that always leaves me feeling a little psycho.

Spring is the return of beauty and sunshine and soft breezes on your skin. But for me, it has always also been a strange time of pressure to "get'er done." I guess when you look outside and see Mother Nature busting her bum creating life and all that, you feel extra lazy if you aren't being productive yourself.

The change of seasons also always makes me think about change in general, and time, and how fast it all goes. This time three Marches ago, I was still married and the thought of starting over wasn't in my mind. I knew I was unhappy, but I kind of thought EVERYONE was unhappy, on some level.

Two Marches ago, my ex was moving out. I hadn't yet met Lee, and wouldn't for several more months. I didn't even know Vin Weasel existed yet.

Last March, Lee and I were taking this unfinished house and starting to turn it into a home.

And this year, we continue in that venture, one small bit at a time.

Change amazes me sometimes. I wonder what the next several years will bring, and for the most part, I look forward to them. And besides, some things about the coming of spring never change.

There will always be yardwork. Work will always be some version of insane. Sully will always have his annual party. And there will always be frickin' taxes.