So Much for March Gladness (see previous post)

     Luckily, early in March, I was able to make a quick three-day trip to Colorado to see my family in Fort Collins. I truly got it in "just under the wire." It was an excellent visit, the weather was lovely, and I enjoyed my all-time favorite thing, playing golf with my sons. I am so glad I went, and as each day passes, I am even more happy that I went.
     In the ensuing time, I have to say that I have been mostly bummed, even depressed. Being one who knows the value of feeling and releasing emotions, I am going to vent them here. I am sad and frustrated because our YMCAs are closed, and I can't swim. That has been a stabilizing discipline that is a huge part of my sense of well-being. Though I am a recovering addict, there's still an insane part of me that wants to eat and/or drink myself into oblivion and wake up when this is over.  Doing tax work has helped by getting me out of the house and making me feel useful, but that is ending due to my boss' decision to not interact with the public for a few weeks. I'm angry that any of this has happened, and that people are dying, and that I am experiencing uncertainty such as I have never known. And things really came crashing down when all sports were cancelled or delayed. My baseball trip to Arizona is a goner for this spring. My MELT and yoga classes ended this past week, and already I am missing my students.
     I know that while we may act tough through all this, each of us has an assortment of feelings, and whatever those may be, it's OK to have them and feel them. I will make it through this, life goes on, and I believe we will be wiser and more engaged and compassionate as a result. Nevertheless, right now, it sucks. Thus, I am thanking the Universe every day that we have our dog, Barney, who is oblivious to world events and simply loving life. The joy and laughter and exercise he inspires is so desperately needed at this "interesting" time.
     One day at a time,
             Leta

March Gladness

     It's March, hallelujah!!!! I love the month of March. It benefits greatly from being immediately after February, which is, in my opinion, the longest month of the year. Here in Wichita, we are getting teasers for spring. Today, March 1, for instance, is predicted to be a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the high 60s. That's glorious! I am so ready to see leaves on the trees and green grass.
     In my over-full-time-but-temporary job as a tax preparer, March is a crazy-busy time which tends to fly by quickly. And when March is over, it's only a couple weeks to April 15 which signals the end of the job for another year, and the beginning of nine months of fun with the money I made. March also has become the time I escape the desk for a few days and go to Colorado to see my sons. That trip is already planned for this coming weekend.
     I am a huge sports fan, and I follow college basketball teams in three conferences. The sports month gets going with the conference tournaments, followed by March Madness, my second favorite sporting event of the month.
     OK, I'll admit that Christmas Day is probably my all-time favorite day of the year. Just a nanometer behind that, however, is Opening Day of baseball season. This year that day is March 26. As soon as I know that date, it goes on my calendar. As John Fogerty penned, "We're born again, there's new grass on the field." As I get older, it means more to me each year that I have lived to see another Opening Day. I can continue my quest to see a game in every MLB city. I have seven left, and I will drop that number to six when I see the Cubs play the Diamondbacks in Arizona right after tax season ends.
     My Daily Peace book designates March as the month of "Resilience." And so we march on, with hope springing eternal.
           Go, CUBS!!!!
                Leta