March Happens

March is a long month.  This year it is particularly long, or seems so, because there are eight long weeks between February break and April vacation.  At this point students are halfway through four weeks of standardized testing.  The weather has been all over the map, literally, and brought two snow days last week, Monday for snow and Friday for ice.

I decided weeks ago to attend a conference on the 31st.  It was a good call.  I always go into a day like today with the thought that I will learn something new and the hope that I will meet someone interesting.  Both things happened today.  I learned the details of a unique initiative to bring state-of-the-art technology to four counties in our state.  I find it encouraging that such a project has been successful.  The interesting person was a woman I met on the walk into the conference from the parking lot.  We laughed about not knowing where we were going and crossed paths later as we enjoyed pastries after registration.  I was pleased when we caught up with each other at lunch and had a chance to talk about common interests.  I know where she works and might get a chance to catch up with her again.

March leaves things unfinished.  In 1978 Ken and I traveled to Maine in March to explore the possibility of living in the state, and two months later we moved here.  In March many years later we moved to where we live now, and that story is still being written.

Eight years ago in March I started this blog.  There were a number of us who started blogging about the same time and somehow found each other in cyber space.  We were in various states of transition ~ children growing up, careers changing ~ and it was wonderful to have a chance to share our stories.

Many of those women have stopped blogging, and I miss their voices.  I am grateful for the women who continue to share their stories and take time to comment here.  I feel like so much is still up in the air for me all these years later, while others have made progress toward their dreams and moved on.

Another March has passed.  Time will tell how the journey continues....   

Word 2016

This is the latest date on record for me to write about my word for the year.  The irony is that the word came to me at the earliest possible moment ~ I literally woke up to the word on New Year's Day.

Weeks earlier Ken and I had made plans to go away for New Year's weekend.  Our reservation was in an upscale hotel in a seaside town.  We had a lovely New Year's Eve. The first morning of the new year I woke up gently in a comfy bed, and a word came to mind before I was fully awake.  A solitary word presented itself with alarming clarity.   Huh, I thought.  That's interesting.  Where did that come from? 

For the last two months the word has presented itself almost daily, a mantra of sorts.  Apparently the word planted itself in my subconscious to remind me that I know what I'm doing and I can handle whatever comes my way. 

All the while I have been skeptical that that's true.  For weeks I didn't feel any differently.  It felt like I was pretending to be confident, able to forge ahead.  There was still a voice in my head questioning my decisions and wondering if any amount of effort could really make a difference.

I have chosen instead to heed the word and keep going in spite of old stories, worn-out habits.  I have decided to listen to a word that appeared to come out of nowhere, when it quite possibly came to the surface after months of asking the universe for help.   Gradually, I have come to believe that I have it in me to do what I need to do.

My word for 2016 is "trust."  The message is to trust myself.