The Vernal Equinox of life

Yesterday, still basking in the warm glow of my “Spring in Wisconsin” post, I took my favorite stroll down to the river.

Wind whipped my hair into Medusa-like clumps, my stupidly un-gloved fingers froze into an intimidating claw and I worried my watering eyes might actually freeze shut.

Spring in Wisconsin, indeed.

Even miserable walks allow for some good thinking time, though, and I pondered the Vernal Equinox and its promise of brighter days and glorious warmth.

“That could be me,” I thought. At 53, I am on the north end of life’s Vernal Equinox, but why couldn’t this decade be the harbinger of even better years to come?

Stay with me on this, kids. I think you’ll like where I’m going.

We spend the first half of our lives in joyful pursuit of education, ability, friendship, family, spirituality, health and financial stability. We have fun but, man! we work hard!

We’re supervising homework, planning meals, cleaning toilets, feeling foreheads with the back of our hands, buckling seat belts, writing thank you notes, doing laundry, working, working, working, meeting friends, counseling children, practicing mindful meditation while surreptitiously making grocery lists, volunteering, squeezing in workouts, shaving our legs in the shower with shampoo on our hair and a toddler on the other side of the plastic curtain who needs help NOW!

Whew!

But, there’s warmth and sunshine on the far side of that crazy equinox. There’s wisdom and peace as well. You move from the sandwich generation to dessert. Your children become your friends.

I drank a little hot chocolate when I got home from my walk (mostly to thaw my hands) and I let sweetness seep deep with every sip.

Life’s a little chilly right now, but the sunshine’s coming. Then you just have to turn your face toward it and breathe.