A couple of days ago, iMan found a caterpillar at the door to the basement where his home office is. A while ago I wrote about how Riley found a ladybug in an unexpected place, then how I found a beetle coming out from under a baseboard. January is an unusual time to be finding such bugs in the house. But we are a breeding ground for the unusual. And caterpillar makes three.
This morning I read Karen's (Creative Therapy) post and she was talking about how, with her plans for some travelling, the month of January seems almost over. While she was lamenting the all too quick passage of time, I was hurraying for the passage of January. My calendar says three more full weeks of this month. I wonder, how will I make it? It's cold and dark and unforgiving. With the exception of the bug population, very little of nature is present. In Momma Zen, Karen Miller talks about doing what is in front of you. Some good advice I thought to incorporate into my life as I am guilty for having so many projects that many get half done and I get frustrated seeing them lying around. This week I have been doing what is in front of me for some little things, like opening or dealing with the mail immediately instead of letting it pile up and (as soon as I get off the computer) I will fix the waist in a number of new sweat pants I bought for Riley instead of letting them sit in the bag until he outgrows them. Good advice, but it can lead to not getting some bigger things done. For me, it takes letting the little things go to stay in my studio and do the work I love so much.
But getting back to this big hump I call January, I'm learning that my big challenge right now is learning to live in present time. January is not going anywhere but passing one day at a time. I want to remember it as having been a fruitful, learning, living time and not a snarling, grumpy, Eeyore-ish thirty-one days of something to just get through.
7 comments:
"I want to remember it as having been a fruitful, learning, living time" -- I think you are learning to do that -- with a little help from Momma Zen.
It's harder when it's so cold. I'm in CA remember? But maybe just try to do more indoor stuff that you like? Curling up with a good book? Making hot cocoa. Cooking or crafting with Riley. I'm such a homebody. I prefer to never go out. Then again I do get sadder in the winter, too, mostly cause the light is around for so little time. I think we should all move closer to the equator where it's 12 hours of sunshine all year round.
Not only are we living in the dark, we're using more energy to stay warm. Sometimes I think I'm a bear, hibernating...sleeping, eating, going to work. There never seems enough time to do anything else in January. I like to think that we're marching towards spring. Sunset seems to be coming later and later daily.
Well, at least the invertebrate world is coming out to help you through.
Go and see the nature that Susan Tuttle found in her winter house !!! http://ilkasattic.blogspot.com/
I have an idea for something that can combine studio time and making a little peace with winter. Head over to Michelle Ward's and do the Green Pepper Press Crusade this month. (http://michelleward.typepad.com/how_cool_is_that/ ) You could even do this one with Riley ! I just finished it and am about to do my post about it. Can't say I will ever love winter(especially January and February) but I am enjoying the being in the moment(inside) and coasting through the days(sitting in sunbeams) more that usual - maybe the vitamin D is helping too ?
10 down, 21 to go....
I love the title of this post!!!
I find January to be a real "hump" too -- I'm into my cranky pants mood, so I'm going to take a page from you (and Mama Zen) and think about doing what is in front of me...one little step at a time. Bigger things can wait -- this is about making it through the dark month!! ♥
A lot of people seem to struggle with January. Perhaps it is because I am born in the land of sunshine that I don't miss it so much. Now that the Christmas chaos is over, I am enjoying this quiet "just us" period. I light the candles and lamps in the late afternoon, make the house cosy. Basically, I am enjoying it. But hold the presses when it comes to February.. feb always got me when I lived here before...
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