Happy New Year!

Bear Mountain Preserve - Telluride, Colorado

May, 2011

No, I have not lost my mind and no, you are not in a time warp!  And while I'm at it, no, I have not dropped off the face of the earth.  We returned from our trip to Beech Mountain, North Carolina on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning, our new year began!  

For those who might be new or may have forgotten, my husband (affectionately known as Mr. B), is on the faculty at one of our local community colleges.  It is a job he dearly loves and cannot wait to return to each fall.  He also teaches a summer school course during the month of July.  We travel during May/June and the 2-3 weeks between the end of his summer class and beginning of fall term.  That is the routine we have established over the years and is a lifestyle that perfectly merges differing goals we have as individuals.  The two week period just before classes begin is set aside as a "rest" time because once the fall semester begins, his schedule becomes relentless until the following May.   It is a time we guard closely and although we do try to go somewhere new, it is usually closer to home and allows plenty of time for quiet reflection, goal setting and communication.  In other words, it's the start of our New Year!!  And truthfully, it feels much more like a new year to us than January 1 ever does!  So once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR from me to you!

Having said that, I will confess that my transition this year has been difficult.  I always miss him terribly when he first heads back.  The house seems so empty and I have to remember how it is that I adjust.  So in addition to the things we talk about together, I spend lots of time reflecting on my own personal goals for the upcoming year.  It's a time I really enjoy, but still, the fact remains that the house seems big and empty!!  

This year has been particularly poignant because it was one year ago, on August 19th, that Mr. B's dad died.  You all were right there with me and I will never forget your kind words and support.  But we've learned that those days will now be forever associated with our "New Year" and Mr. B's return to school.  He actually missed the first three days last year because of the services for his dad.  

So I imagine it is both of these things along with some other issues that have sent me into a frame of mind I can't even put into words.  I find myself dragging with little energy or motivation to do much of anything.  That includes blogging, reading blogs or giving a rip about healthy eating or losing weight.  The heat wave continues in Tennessee, so even a journey into my beloved Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn't hold a whole lot of excitement.  

But I sense a change just as I knew I would.  One thing I've learned with age is it's better to feel the feelings, cry if you need to, find help from friends who know you well and wait patiently knowing it's a part of growth.  Rather than trying to talk myself out of this, I've just waited without forcing myself to do, think, be or act in any way simply because I felt that I "should!"  Since last Wednesday morning, that has been my mantra and I woke up this morning knowing it had worked.  Something just felt different. 

So here I am with some new ideas and new ways of seeing Life Through Sharon's Eyes.  There will be GAINS and there will be LOSSES, not all of which have to do with losing weight or healthy eating.  Yes, I have New Year's Resolutions and yes, I plan on keeping them.  This blog is about to undergo some changes that I hope you will like.  But rest assured, it'll still be just plain ole me trying to make progress, not become perfect and doing it one day at a time!

Just curious!   Does anyone else see this time of year as your NEW YEAR?