New Beginnings - Take Two

Well, it has been over a month since I sat down to write about the things for which I am grateful. February was quite full and busy. My meditation practice has also been neglected. I am not beating myself up over it - just noting and moving on. That's the beauty of both yoga and meditation - getting into a mindset of no judgement. That is very hard for me. I tend to leap to judgement. Acknowledging that helps. Knowing that every moment, really, can be a new beginning does as well. 

Son's Birthday

27 years ago, at 8:09 AM, I gave birth to my third son. He arrived exactly on his due date and was a whopping 9 pounds, 11 ounces! He was a delightful baby and turned into a bright, curious, eager, achieving child, teen-ager, college student, working man. I am so grateful that he loves to come home from time to time for a weekend of allowing mama to feed him up. Happy birthday, A.

60 Degrees in January

This winter has been unseasonably warm and I'm not so sure I should be grateful for that. However, we did get a fine blast of winter last weekend in the form of a blizzard that dumped a bunch of snow on nearly the entire eastern coast. So, today's blast of warm air did a lot to melt that snow and the sunshine was delicious.

A Dog's Trust

Sometimes, it's the little things that fill the heart. I had the dogs out earlier and was taking in the indigo sky and trying to find all the planets that are supposedly visible in the early morning sky. I treasure my early mornings. It's a positive way to start each day. Today, Friday suddenly came up lame and limped straight to his bed. When I reached for his paw, he gave me a look of such trust coupled with sadness, it nearly broke my heart. It didn't take long to find the culprit, a beechnut was lodged deep between the paw pads and slid out easily. The effect was instantaneous. Friday leaped in a circle and covered me in kisses, snorting with happiness. I laughed out loud. My dog thinks I'm a genius. I treasure the trust he puts in me and am reminded that I need to earn it.

My Colleagues

I am blessed with able, learned and generous colleagues who support me even when my anxiety creates a kind of tunnel vision.

My Community of Readers

I am lucky in that I receive a fair number of advance reader copies from publishers. Too many to read in a timely fashion, so I often share them with my students who, in turn share their opinions with me. When a student tells me that I HAVE to read a book, I always do. I am grateful for this give-and-take.

Sunny Days

Today dawned clear and cold. I saw Venus rising in the east, but none of the other planets I saw earlier this week. The snow was pristine and crunchy. The dogs loved it. As the day wore on, there was plenty of sunshine and brilliant blue skies. A truly lovely day to finish the snow cleanup.