Guess this is turning into a monthly blog; but since months fly by at about one per week, I guess that's a speed I can maintain.

I've been thinking about seasons and renewal. Now if we go to meteorological seasons ( or astrological if that's your slant), we're currently trapped in winter. We're having a lot of snow this winter of 2010. I'll take all the blame for that. It's totally my fault. I've been begging, praying, dreaming, and wishing for snow for years. We've been cheated out of a really good snowfall for a long time. I wanted to romp in the snow, slide down the hill, plop down and make snow angels.

The problem is, it took so long for the snow to get here I've allowed myself to get out of shape and I can't play in it.

So I make attempts to get in shape. I order new workout videos.; print out oodles of diabetic friendly recipes with the knowledge that a new season is coming. Spring- with a different set of challenges that I want to rise to meet.

Seasons are about change and renewal; new starts over and over. Trees will take on that lovely tender green of new leaves; a green that will deeper, grow more substantial at just the right time. We'll need their shade as the Earth moves into position so that the Sun sends her rays at us more directly. Later, the tree's life cycle will cause the chemicals to create the beautiful colors just before they fall again so that the weaker Sun's rays will be able to get through the bare limbs. We, too, come alive in the spring, ooze hesitantly out of our houses, strengthen as the days grow longer.

Seasons can make us better at being who we are. As we determine to rise to the challenges of each season, we remain dynamic even if , with each cycle, we become a little less limber, a little more easily fatigued, and a lot more pained.