The Magical Little Things

March is here. And once again, this month is having a hard time deciding: is it springtime? Or is there still a touch of winter? Balmy days with gentle breezes may herald an early spring for a little while. Then wham! Mother Nature sends a blast of winter, filled with colder weather and sharp, biting winds. Not quite time to put away the winter jacket and boots. But it is time for some spring cleaning and laundering those lighter-weight clothes.

My emotions are like a weather vane, swinging from one direction to the other. When it’s warm, I feel energized. And then the temperature drops and I am ready to cuddle into my cozy place. What to do?

The easiest way for me to get through this “in-between season” is to notice the magical little things. When I take a look at those everyday items, they take on a life of their own. They almost glow in their splendor. What kind of things? Let’s take a look:

• Occasional wildlife. I walk in the early morning, long before sunrise. Yesterday, I felt someone watching me. As I looked around, I noticed a young buck elk with just a few antlers. He was standing very still in a neighbor’s yard, observing me as I rounded the corner. That’s a delight.
• Christmas lights. I work at walking 10,000 steps during the day. If I start early with 7500-8000 of them, I can easily make my daily goal. (Some mornings, the walk is more of a challenge than others.) Now, I realize it’s March, but a couple of kind neighbors have left their Christmas lights up. One of these sparkling arrangements is on my home stretch and lets me know I’m near the end of my wanderings. Those twinkling colors brighten my day.
• Songs of birds. Birds are slowly beginning to return to the Mountain. I see them swooping and diving, playing with each other are they sing and glide along. Sometimes, wee little birds gather together in a bush and create a happy cacophony of tweets and twitters.
• Meeting with friends. What a delight to get together with friends! Some I have known for a longer time, and we are very comfortable chatting away. The other day, though, I joined some ladies I had met but did not know well. Such talented women, overflowing with energy and laughter! Time to expand the circle of friends before the business of spring.
• Special mailboxes. When I’m out and about, I notice mailboxes that are genuinely out of the ordinary. One friend loves to fly and her husband made a biplane out of their mailbox. Imagine! And another? Bright pink with blue polka dots. I smile whenever I see it.
• The greening of trees. Some of our trees are turning a spring green. You know what I mean. That light shade of green letting me know that in spite of cold rain and hail, spring is on its way. When I see these stately trees, I’m filled with the hope of change.
• The poof of Duff’s tail. MacDuff is a Bichy-Poo-Shi-Tzu, a Bichon Friese/ toy poodle/Shi-Tzu mix. This pedigreed mutt has a white poof of a tail that moves energetically back as forth as he trots along. And oh my, does he move! As I mentioned, it’s the smaller gifts that brighten the day.

To get through this “between” season, notice the little magical things and enjoy the wonders around you. That’s living unstuck at its best!