April is here

The month of April is described as a confusing month; snowy or rainy one day, the next it is full of promise of green growth to come. It is known to be the month that is full of surprises and prized for rebirth of new life and endings of the long winter. April is a busy month, with the Easter bunny arriving. The farmers will be doing what they do best, getting ready for spring seeding. Income tax is due by the end of the month.  The wild animals will start to have their babies.  The river will get soft and start to break up and overall, it is an encouraging month. 

For many of you, April means you are getting excited about planning your garden and are anticipating the snow going so you can check on how your perennials and shrubs survived the winter. I have so many friends who love to be outside with their flowers and gardens. You clearly have a connection with the earth when you work in it. Some of you will already have seedlings that you have encouraged to grow and watched them with pride. I couldn't be more opposite. It seems strange that at one time I had a huge yard, garden and lots of trees to look after and now I am really disinterested in any of that. I have clearly lost my connection with dirt. I make one and only one trip to the green house for plants. The planting process is like a speed event, I'm done as quickly as possible. I buy hearty plants so they will grow with little attention, and call it done. I am sure many of you are gasping and thinking this is like plant abuse. Somehow my plants look okay for the little love they get, especially the English Ivy.  

My neighbor across the street is an elderly Ukrainian Bubba.  She has an excess of potted plants in my opinion, but every single one of her pots thrives.  Every night just before sunset she comes out with one pitcher of water for all of them.  She dripples about 6 tablespoons of water on selected plants. Never do all of them get watered at the same time, it's a hit and miss task. She talks away to them, and they clearly love it by their beauty.  Nothing gets what I feel is a decent amount of water, but who am I to say, she clearly knows what she is doing. I have a watering plan as well, when they wilt, they need more water.  

I have very few people in my life that celebrate their birthdays in April, but this quote certainly describes them. I would like to acknowledge my good friend who is celebrating her birthday this month. The three things that would best describe her are: "always ready to help others, faithful and adventurous".  I couldn't have been more blessed to have her come into my life when she did. I knew on that first day that we met we would become close friends. We recognize each other's birthday by doing an activity.  This year it is a trip to "The Leaf" in Winnipeg.  Happy April Birthday, B. 

I was unsure what the month of April was going to send my way.  I read this quote and it spoke to me. I thought to myself, let's go for a month filled with rebirth, regrowth and renewal. I was a bit unsure of what the words truly meant, or how was I going to incorporate them into my retired lifestyle, but I did grab onto the idea and started writing and thinking. 

                                        

Rebirth starts it off and I would like to embrace the rebirth of an exercise program.  Walking is the universal exercise and many of you reading this are walkers.  You devote a certain time of day, for a certain length of time to just walking.  I hope you know how much I admire that in each of you.  I have become very sedentary since I retired. I am not, nor never have been, a fan of walking.  If you asked me to walk somewhere, I am good to go.  But, to just wander around aimlessly is not my thing.  It is going to be tough to have a rebirth with that kind of attitude isn't it.  I am already plotting what is the minimum amount of time in a day you can put in walking and still call it an exercise program. I think I will swing a deal with my fit bit and start there.  It impresses me with it's ability to not miss counting a step, so I will let it direct me to 10,000 steps a day, which is what is suggested.  

                                         

             

I have struggled with thinking of where regrowth or rebuilding is needed in my life.  I reflected on when I experienced the most growth as an adult. I believe it was when I first was on my own, and I was trying to make my way in a new life.  I learned some key lessons that I still follow today. I knew that I needed others to guide me and I have to say many good things came to me by following their direction. At that time if someone suggested I do something, or invited me somewhere, I did it. I learned to be open to the words and wisdom of others, and it has served me well. I only applied to the University because someone suggested I should, the rest is history. Because this practice had such a profound effect on my life, I watch how other people receive information.  They have one of two responses: they either embrace the words and put them to thought or they begin immediately to say why it won't work. The rebuilding for me at that time was paramount and for the most part made me who I am today. 

So, if I am going to have regrowth, I need to think of areas I need to grow in. During covid and retirement I lost my edge for many things, I think many did.  So, to regrow where I was before that time maybe is not a bad idea.  I am not as sharp as I used to be, it is probably because I don't have to be.  Writing this blog and googling information has been good to explore my thoughts and to learn. It has helped me in more ways than I ever thought possible. I have decided I am going to let the regrowth or rebuilding occur just as it is meant to.   

  

                        

When I reflect on renewal, I realize that I need to continue to renew my living space.  I am starting by moving forward with my renovations. I have never done well if I know I need to do something and for some reason I don't do it. I keep thinking about it in an indecisive way and it starts to take on a life of it's own. I need to stop talking about it, make some decisions and do it.  I am hiring a contractor in April to replace the old and ugly things in my kitchen.  You got it, it is happening. I am sure most of you are doing the happy dance, relieved I will stop blogging about my silly kitchen renos. I can't believe how I have put this off, I guess I need regrowth in decision making.  Enough already, action is going to be taken this month with a deadline of April 30th. I am focusing my thinking and putting it into action. 

                                     

I said I needed a purpose in April, so I think this will do it.  I have never thought of April in this way.  I always thought April is the time the snow goes, and we are headed to the beauty of spring.  It is like the bridge between snow and everything being reborn again, that includes us. 

Now that April is here, we are given the chance to make a deliberate effort to start something.  Maybe it will be your time for a rebirth, regrowth and renewal.  Start small and as you finish reading this blog, join me in making a commitment to yourself to "do something".  There is never a better time than the present.  Believe me procrastination is never very appealing and for sure never productive.