In spite of the cloudy skies & itchy eyes

Once again, during the days of little sunlight (by my California Girl  standards), I’m feeling a sense of gloominess that’s a little too similar to the days of mornings-in-mourning for my liking. Let’s face it, it was this time of year (4 years ago) when we discovered that our promise of till-death-do-us-part would soon be satisfied.

In the days, months, and years since that day, I have overcome anger, depression, hopelessness and have moved on. And, yes, I have fallen down both figuratively and literally MANY times… but I have gotten back up, stitched up in some cases, and kept moving. I’ve thought about that a lot recently: the falls, getting back up, and starting again. Quite a few of them have occurred during these gloomy months. Coincidence? Perhaps.

Thankfully, these months of gloom are always followed by Spring which is, in my humble opinion, the most magical months of the year. I can’t wait. Spring is when we turn the clocks back so that I am no longer having to wake up to darkness. But it’s more than that, as I’m sure you know.

I’ve often thought it interesting that something as painful as death occurred on such a wondrous day as the first day of Spring. Yet, when you think about cycles ending and new ones beginning, birth and rebirth, maybe it isn’t so odd at all.  Each year, as new growth appears on my rose bushes, the lovebirds return to build their nest over my front porch, and the farm animals tummies begin to swell with new life, I am reminded to notice the sunnier side of life and put the gloom behind me. This is when the spring-in-my-step seems to return.

This year, I can already see subtle signs of the coming of spring. I am smiling in spite of the cloudy skies and itchy eyes. Not only are there are roses in my front yard, there are also some in my bedroom thanks to Valentine’s Day. What can I say?  Life is good — REALLY good.