Awakening

With an extremely mild winter this year, I really didn’t get the opportunity to “hunker down.” I didn’t get to stay inside look at snow flakes, lounge around all day wearing sweats, and getting in the kitchen baking bread. My husband didn’t get the chance to use his new toy- a snow blower. So. like the animals we move into Spring not even needing to shed our winter coats. Some of the pansies have even made it through so far and our trees especially our Magnolia (which has buds) is confused.

Often shifting from one season to the next, gives opportunities to awaken new dreams and goals. Not so much this winter, so I am working still on my creative side. I am not a crafter although I appreciate the clever items I see made from a plastic bottle, a few ribbons, hot glue and the mantra someone is chatting, “It’s so easy anyone can do it!” I am also not a seamstress even with the new easy Jiffy Patterns that are available. I can sew up a few things but really don’t like it. The Stretch n Sew class years ago cured me of thinking I could just whip something up. That was the year people were quickly seaming up cute little t-shirts.Of course, to get the t-shirt perfectly fitted for one’s unique body type measuring was of the utmost importance. I measured; I sewed; and hanging up on a hanger my t-shirt had the shape of a bell! Then there was sewing a Granny Gown. That had another set of new challenges such as the yoke and the inset sleeves. All looked pretty good until I put one arm in and then the other. If my left shoulder had been two inches higher than my right it would have fit just perfectly. Then there was the cake decorating class. My rosettes had a look all their own. So over the years, I have taken classes on doll making, sewing, knitting, cooking, ceramic, and painting classes. A few others that were interesting were the Out of Body Experience class, Tapping, and Paranormal Activity classes.

In addition to my creative endeavors I have about tried every diet that is known. Let’s see there was the Grapefruit, Cabbage Soup, South Beach, Atkins, Mayo Clinic, Slim 4 Life and Weight Watchers. (Surely I am forgetting some).

So, you may be asking yourself right now, “What does all this have to do with a blog for people who have lost a loved one? The constant in all my endeavors is trying new things and not giving up. Even if…our loved one had not died it is easy to get complacent and not try anything new. It is even easier to think, “I don’t care. What does it matter? Who cares?” I know it all seems like too much effort. One would have to read about classes, search the internet, sign up, and most of all make a committment to try something that sounds interesting or fun and that is the biggest challenge of all. So, what if you are not good at something -no big deal! I don’t care that my rosettes don’t look so good, or if I want a cute granny gown I can go to Macy’s and purchase one. What is the most important to me is that I tried and I am still searching for things that I can enjoy. I hope you will consider embracing something new or awaken a passion you had before this tragedy occurred. After all we know “That it is .. what it is….but it doesn’t have to be so.

And by the way…my new passion is water color.Grandma Moses took up painting in her later years so why can’t I? Who knows…maybe someday my paintings will be hanging in museums and someone can say, “Look at what Bubbe Bon did.” But you know what? It doesn’t really matter because for now I am enjoying something new. How about you?