Monday, March 26, 2012

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?

14 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures of the scenery and of you! Congratulations on losing this much weight and being so close to your goal. The right time is almost always now. Especially in weight loss because your health is on the line every single day.

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  2. Oh my, the first photo in this post is positively stunning! It's postcard quality!!

    I so love how you, like me, try to find lessons in everyday events. We do often want to focus on the right time or the wrong time or the better time or whatever. And extending from that, I think we mistakenly want life and its lessons and achievements to operate in a linear fashion. Life is anything but linear. It's so important to do the best we can with each day we're given. Some days, it will be better than others.

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  3. I constantly have to remind myself that God's timing is always perfect. AND, His timing is NOT the same as mine.

    We're having a lovely early spring here as well, but that is totally fine with me! There was an article in the newspaper here about black bears moving in our direction in the state. I thought about you.
    Lori

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  4. Oh my goodness, love the first photo--flowering cherries? There were two beautiful trees like that on the side streets outside the hospital where I worked. Every spring I would try to take a walk outside on my lunch break to see those trees.

    I am a little disappointed that everything is flowering so early and I will miss it. It seems so funny to me that you are having an earlier spring than we are in California.

    You look so pretty in that picture. And what a beautiful yard you have!

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  5. Beautiful photos as always Sharon. Our cherry tree just started to bloom and in a day or two it will be one big puff ball.

    I always think that everthing happens when it happens for a reason. We don't always know why at they time but later upon reflecting back I can usually find the silver lining.

    Congrats on the weight loss and the great success you have had with your healthy lifestyle. You look amazing!

    The timing was just right for you when you walked in the book store that day. Love it! I also love that you were willing to share your food plan on your blog and inspire me to try something new.

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  6. What this post reminded me of is the nothing that things happen for a reason. Whether that comes from a spiritual and/or religious place, or not. I'm not sure I believe in it myself, but at times I have really asked myself if it was applicable to me in a moment of time. I was much the same with my blog. So sure if you'd asked me when I started that at my one year and two year anniversaries I'd have been happily and easily maintaining for ages. And no yo-yo. Ha. Ha, ha, ha. But if I had, maybe I would have stopped blogging and missed out on all I've gotten out of it that is not just related to reaching a goal weight. Maybe. Who knows. The best I can do is try to learn from everything I experience and apply that going forward.

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  7. This is a wonderful post, Sharon. There is a spiritual nature to your musings, and I believe, to life. Things do unfold as they're going to - we have very little control over the big things. What we CAN control is our response to all of it, each day. We can determine to do our best, what we know to be right - and beyond that, go with the flow.

    Congratulations on the weight loss - I'm reading of a lot of success with the 17 day diet. Very intriguing.

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  8. Beautiful picture to open this post. We are not at that point yet where tulips are blooming, but we are definitely having an early spring. I have already seen a number of migratory birds, too. Only time will tel what this early spring means.

    I do think it is remarkable that you have had such good success with that diet. 22 pounds is nothing to sneeze about. I am envious, somewhat, of your closeness to your goal now, but I know for me it will come too. Just like you, I know this is the right time. I have developed patience with my body, at least most of the time.

    Enjoy the renewal that is part of spring. Have a great week, too!
    Michele

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  9. Love the photos, especially the one of you. You look so happy!

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  10. I love the pictures. Gorgeous!!!!! And you are too!! Congratulations on your great success

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  11. Love love love the pictures. Spring is not quite here yet!! You are adorable by the way!! Yes, I think things are happening at the right time. Even though things outside my control are out of whack, I'm focused and pushing toward my goals!!

    Keep up the great work! You are amazing!

    Stay focused!!

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  12. Oh those flowers made me look forward to spring! So lovely!
    And you look absolutely gorgeous!

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  13. Sharon you look so good, and I am so excited about this early spring! (well...not excited that dc also had an early spring therefore making our planned trip too late to see the cherry trees in bloom...but I digress). I can't really tell if things are happening at the right time or not. Overall, they seem to be... so I am just going along with them. You are doing great and I'm excited for you!!

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  14. You look great! The spring pictures are so wonderful, too. It just seems like such a fresh start right now.

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