I used to hate February, after all, my son died in February, and my father died in February. The shortest month of the year and I had to hold my breath just to get through it.
But the cold and damp of winter pairs well with grief, the drab grey exterior matching the turmoil of grief’s interior. And although winter felt fitting for grief, spring felt like a betrayal. My heart can summon up that spring over 25 years ago where sadness and anger rocked with me on the front porch swing as I scribbled my sorrow in tear stained journals.
Bella Grace Issue 19 is 160 pages devoted to discovering magic in the ordinary. Be captivated by this issue’s heartfelt stories and photographs that celebrate life’s beautiful journey.
Stories inside Issue 19:
We’ve reached the point of winter where most of us are longing for the warmer days ahead. As March approaches, many people look to welcome the new season with a little spring-cleaning. It’s a great time to freshen up your home. It’s also the perfect time to freshen up your life. Each spring, I like to do a little “cleaning” up in my life. Most of my motivation from the New Year is long gone by now, so I welcome this opportunity to give my life a little reboot. Here are a few quick ways to give your life some TLC this spring.
Remember this is temporary
and nothing stays the same
even in the moments that draw
and lengthen
and stretch
and pull you way past comfortable
taut to the point of tear
Have you ever heard someone use a phrase and it stops you in your tracks? Days pass, and you keep repeating it over and over in your head. This was the case the other day when one of the hosts of a podcast I listen to mentioned, “the mindfulness of mindlessness.”
Upon hearing it, my first thought is how those two ideas contradict each other. Can you be mindful while being mindless? Is that even possible? When people talk about being more mindful, they talk about meditation, journaling, and activities like those. We’re told to “Be Here Now.” That’s all fine and good, and I’ll admit that I can probably work a little more on my mindfulness. But I also need to work a little more on my mindlessness.
