Signs of Spring
February 26, 2021
Early yesterday morning I pulled out my planner/calendar and a small stack of embellishments—stickers, washi tape, etc. Snuggled up in my bed, sipping coffee with Luna sleeping next to me, I decorated my month-at-a-glance pages for March and April, choosing inspirational, encouraging words as well as colorful stickers and tape. After that, I decorated my weekly spreads for the month of March. I spent probably 45 minutes to an hour of my precious early morning quiet time matching colors, and looking for words that will gently encourage or inspire.
Why is this significant?
Because I haven’t wanted to do this, or indeed even felt able to, for almost a year. Why bother, when I wasn’t going anywhere except the grocery store or the barn? Even though I still used my daily planner, I didn’t care what it looked like. When the to-dos on my list never varied from the mundane daily “keep us alive” chores week after week, I didn’t have the mental energy to make my pages pretty.
Just like snowdrops and crocus are harbingers of the spring season, my desire to pretty things up in my planner indicates to me that something is stirring in the frozen wasteland of my psyche! Could a spring thaw be coming?!
While I was playing in my planner, flipping through sheets of stickers with inspirational words, matching washi tape to my weekly to-do list, I felt a little current of happiness flowing through me. A gathering of energy, even a flicker of creativity—things that have been sorely lacking lately.
Even though I’m still essentially going no place that isn’t necessary, I feel the slightest tickle of, could that be…hope? That I will—we will—be able to enjoy life a bit more soon. When I’ll be able to write “coffee with ______” on my pages, when the exhortation of “wake up and be awesome” won’t make me want to hide under the covers (my stickers are ambitious).
Even though my pages are still mostly blank, surely they will begin to fill up soon? Maybe with a visit to an outdoor market before it gets too hot? Maybe even with “plan trip to California”? I need to start penciling in things to look forward to!
It’s such a small thing, this desire to decorate my daily calendar. But I hope it’s the start of something positive.
When you’ve been down, what small thing(s) demonstrate to you that you’re feeling better?
4 comments
Kathy I am so glad to read that you are beginning to move forward with some plans. It has certainly been a very hard year for so many. Praying that soon life will hold more of the things we all have missed doing. For us in the north spring holds out hope...flowers and birds are beginning to wake up and soon the colder darker days will give way to warmth and much more daylight! Hugs
ReplyDeleteDebbie--Here's hoping for a spring that feels like a spring--in nature and in our hearts :)
DeleteFor me, that isn't a small thing! Yes, what I read here was hope. I've been spending a ton of time on my daily journal, it has felt grounding more than ever. I’m always experimenting and refining things, only to change them again. I read the idea that one can fill those empty boxes with stuff like doodles or stickers or inspirational words/images. But I too hope for a few more events to go in my calendar boxes.
ReplyDeleteRita--I've been writing almost everything I do, including walks in my neighborhood and trips to the barn, in my calendar. When I do that, I see that I still have many small things to enjoy. I'm glad you're finding solace in journaling. It is a comfort!
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