Sign, Sign Everywhere A Sign!

Along one of our beautiful greenways - March 25, 2012

In my neck of the woods, spring has definitely arrived and there are signs everywhere.  Mr. B and I took a nice long walk along one of our favorite local greenways after church yesterday morning and were mesmerized by all the different shades of pink we saw.  
 

Our dogwoods are within a week of peaking and tulips are bursting forth all over.   The redbuds have already peaked and are beginning to wane.  Azaleas are popping.  And NONE of this.   I repeat, NONE of it is happening at the usual time.  Everything is happening at least three weeks early.  And things aren't blooming in their normal order.  It is just a neverending vista of surprises.  And you know how I do love a surprise!!

But I was thinking about this today and wondering how it is that we've all determined what is the "right" time and exactly how it is that things are "supposed" to happen.  None of us have any control over the weather, the changing of the seasons and we certainly had no hand in "creating" any of these things that, according to us, are all out of sync.  So who are we to so arrogantly claim that things aren't happening at the "right" time?   Of course, it's the right time!!  It's EXACTLY the right time for all these things to happen in 2012.  It's a very real part of the circle of life and the circle of growth.  I, for one, am thrilled to know that it's not my responsibility to make sure things in nature happen at the "right" time.  It's only my responsibility to care for, preserve and enjoy the things around me to the best of my ability.

It has been this thought process that has taught me two things this week and very quickly brought me out of the funk I had created for myself because winter left so suddenly cutting my hiking season short (how selfish does that sound??).

1)  Things happen at the right time and although I'd like to think otherwise, nature doesn't revolve around what's convenient for me.  It's time to quit grumbling and appreciate the beauty of what is around me.  Yes, winter views are fading, humidity is already an issue, I actually killed a yellowjacket and I've already encountered a huge blacksnake.   But "pink" is all around me and it's time for me to notice.

2)  And the concept of things happening at the right time also reminded me that is is the same with our bodies and our journey to a proper weight.  In a couple of months, I will celebrate the second anniversary of this blog and rest assured, if you'd told me then that two years later, I'd still not be at my goal weight, I'd have promptly told you that THEN was the right time and I'd be there in six months!  But it wasn't the right time.  In that two years, I've dealt with illness, the death of my beloved FIL, out-of-control eating, and many other things.  But I've also had the opportunity to meet and share life with many of you through our blogs and off the page in person.  We're a hodgepodge of lives, circumstances and journeys which sometimes might seem all out of order and "blooming" or NOT "blooming" at all the wrong times.  But nothing could be further from the truth. 

All of which have brought us to NOW.  For me, I'm so close.   And I've learned so much.  And in the end, it's been so easy.  And it's happening at just the right time.  For you, it may seem that so much is out of order or things are happening at the wrong time.  They aren't.  There's a plan in there somewhere even when it can't be seen and certainly makes no sense.  But trust me, at the right time, it will all come together.  Just ask anyone who lives in East Tennessee because they'll just shake their heads and say, "I've never in all my life seen the azaleas bloom before the redbuds are gone." 
 

Four months ago today, I began Cycle 1 of the 17 Day Diet with no clue what would happen or that for me, it finally was the "right" time.   I have lost 22 pounds and have 12 left to reach goal making it a total loss of 58 pounds.  Here's a celebration picture Mr. B shot in our backyard yesterday.

March 25, 2012

I have reactivated my travel blog and would love to have you follow along on it as well.   That is a huge part of our life and I consider each of you friends, so would be honored to have you share in those exploits with us!   There's a link on the left side of the page.

Are things happening at the "right" time for you or does everything seem totally out of sync?