The End of The Year, The Beginning of A New Life

Note: This blog post was supposed to be part of a blog swap but I was late submitting and my partner is now MIA so here it is =)


The leaves began to fall as I came to Chicago in September. Savings exhausted and soul worn out, I arrived in Illinois with my two year old daughter and my life for the last 12 years packed into 5 boxes and 2 suitcases marked: From California.

The trees began to shed, leaving bare branches. Radiant red, orange, and gold leaves crumbled beneath my feet as I ran off the 30-plus pounds I had gained, brought on by the stress of an unstable tumultuous relationship compounded with the loss of the confident, empowered woman that I was before those four rocky years.

The days grew darker at an earlier time and the temperature dropped quickly as I started to write again, rediscovering the joy of expressing myself, an outlet that once had been my comfort, my haven, discarded for six years while I became enamored of a wild lifestyle consisting of drinking, partying, and endless bad decisions.

Mists of fluffy white snow began to descend, and light snowflakes dusted the pavement as I adjusted from 50-hour work weeks to staying at home and home-schooling my little one. Lessons of humility, compassion, and grace were subjects learned by both pupil and teacher.

Heavy snow showers enveloped the city leaving white canvasses where recently familiarized places had just been and newly fallen snow crunched beneath my boots as I twirled in circles dancing joyfully while my first "White Christmas" appeared. Forgiveness in my heart soothing old wounds just like snow blanketing the ground.

As the season transitions from Christmas to New Year, I am grateful for a new life, a new beginning. An energizing, inspiring, hopeful spirit that will not make any resolutions, but will instead strive to  make wise choices. Happy New Year.

Love and Light and Hope, MARS