Spring!

Spring, almost, again! For me, in more ways than one. The winter has been long and gray, as far as writing goes. But personally there were some real high points. A new edition of my book, Disguise for Death, released by Wild Rose Press in December, was gratifying. But the major blessing was being able to spend a week with my precious great grandsons in North Carolina through the Christmas holidays. Their great grandmother on their mother's side, who lives next door to them, graciously invited me to stay in her home so I would be close by and not have to pay a hotel bill. I promised to send her some of my books, which I finally got done this week.
Unseasonably warm weather in East Tennessee caused jonquils and Bradford pear trees to display their spring finery early. Since the temperature has dropped and even snow flurries reported, maybe other spring blossoms will wait until their proper time to show!
The sunshine hinting of spring to come did lift my spirits so I've become somewhat less of a sloth. Who knows, maybe I'll even get back to being productive?

Here and Now

I'm usually glad when February arrives. Even when the weather is bad, which is normal for February, but not this year it seems. But when it comes, it means January is finished and done with. Why am I glad when January is over? First and foremost, it's the month in which my husband passed away, four days before my January birthday. Before that, as I got older, January signaled that I was, in fact, getting older.

In and of itself, getting older is not such a bad thing. If our minds are mostly normal, it means we've attained maybe a modicum of wisdom just by virtue of living so long. At least, I sure hope I have. I really wouldn't want to relive some of my younger years. Some I didn't deal with too well. Bad and unpleasant things happened during some of them which I sure don't want to relive. Good memories, now those would be a blessing to live and enjoy again, but as the saying goes, we must take the good with the bad. So I'll just stay in the here and now.

My life is not perfect now, far from it, but good things are still happening to offset those not so pleasant. One of the better parts of older life, I've learned to accept myself, warts and all, and to expect those who wish to remain in my life to accept me, too. I accept others, just as they are. If I don't agree with them on some things, well, that's why we live in a free country. Hard as it is to believe, some probably don't think the way I do! And actually that makes the world a more interesting place. I like hearing, reading and discussing how others may see life, if it's in a civil manner. Otherwise I can choose not to engage. And do. And life goes on.