AWAITING THE STORM

There is a major winter storm brewing in the upper midwest, apparently it will involve the southern third of Minnesota. We may be a little out of its range, although there is a thirty percent chance we will get some snow. There are many areas to the South of us that have little snow on the ground. We still have about six inches. We don't need it.

I needed a reminder, by seeing an amaryllis on Facebook, to remember to pot my bulbs. I have been raising amaryllis for over forty years and some of my bulbs may be that old. Originally I potted them at Thanksgiving time so they would bloom at Christmas. Then I potted them at Christmas time so they would bloom on my birthday. Lately I have been lucky to get them to bloom for Valentines Day. It is good to have flowers blooming in the house on these gloomy days of mid-winter.

We may be North of the storm area but it sure is threatening out. Heavy clouds and a persistent strong wind seem ominous. If I didn't have a forecast to go by I would expect the worse.

That would be a good segue into “awaiting the storm” in our political, social and financial future. I feel just as much of a storm in that area as I do a meteorological one. Yet, I am not a prophet. I know big changes are coming but I don't know when.

It seems more of a clown show than a storm. Perhaps it is a 'tempest in a teapot'. I would like to pay as little attention to it as I can. Unfortunately, I am one of those who are drawn to it as a moth to a flame. However, it is not funny to me anymore and I will keep my nose out of the main stream media for now.

I need to focus on the relationships closest to me. That is where paradise lies. Sometimes I feel like the luckiest person in the world. I live in a beautiful house in a wondrous place on Earth. I lack for nothing. I have a great family; marvelous children and grandchildren. Looking to the immediate outside, everything is great. The inner me is not always as peaceful, joyous and loving as it could be. Why?

The answer, always lies, in how are we loving ourselves. It is easy to take a little concern from the outside and translate it into a little fear on the inside. Little fears are very disturbing. Being a little bit afraid can be like being a little bit pregnant, it has the potential for growth.

Part of our awakening is learning not to invite those little fears to take residence in our minds. We can be alert to their presence and dis-invite them. We don't need them. For every little fear we can find some love to replace it.

I want to write more about this soon. We need to take our Monday trip to the Amish for milk and do some shopping.

Love and Peace, Gregg