I’m stuck. I have made a couple of false starts, and can’t find seem to find the Muse needed to write my column. So you all are going to get miscellaneous thoughts this month.
I just spent a couple wonderful days with my brother. In past columns, I have talked about both my parents. My brother completes the family I grew up with. With both parents deceased, we have made an agreement and the effort to not drift apart. He is funny, generous, and smart. We can spend hours together talking about nothing and everything. Today for something to do to get out of the house, we went to an antique mall near his home. For most of 2 hours we strolled and talked. About toys and dishes that reminded us of our childhood. About ourselves. Friends. Family. And a dozen other topics. I came home thankful for the time we had together and with a renewed appreciation of who he is.
In Iowa we talk about the weather. Good, bad, or indifferent. Especially in the winter. Winter is tough for most of us. If we have to commute, we have a constant concern of road conditions. Many of us do not like the cold or at least do not tolerate it as well as when we were younger. We seem to be less active. Many people deal with more feelings of being blue or serious depression this time of year. If winter is getting you down, talk to someone. Not necessarily about the weather or your blues. Just anything. Something you saw on television or heard on the radio. A book or magazine you read. A new recipe. Making the effort to stay connected (easier in our age of electronics) helps beat those winter blues. Voice of experience here.
Last year at this time I talked about New Year’s resolutions and reasons to stop and “take stock” of yourself. I will mention it again this year. It is good to stop and look around yourself periodically. What would you like to change, improve, work on. Set a goal for yourself. Tell someone. Keep some kind of tally or journal of progress, even if that progress is sporadic. Both of those steps will help you follow through. We are more likely to actually do something if we have somehow created accountability. After all, if 3 birds are sitting on a branch and 2 decide to fly away, that does not mean any of them actually left. Taking that first step is often the hardest.
Ah, I guess I did find a theme. As the winter and cold weather progress, make an effort to do (implying action here) things to get you through these tougher months. Stay connected to those you love. Make a change. Learn something new. Maybe even try something new – even if it is just a new recipe or shade of lipstick. (Well maybe not lipstick for you gentlemen out there…)
Shalom,
Nancy
President