if i knew when i was younger that I would spend so much time looking back to the days when things were simpler yearning for it with an ache that feels like grief a longing that gnaws like unsaid words
i might have enjoyed my time more might have gone to the mall more often might have told more secrets got into trouble
if i had known the world doesn’t get any friendlier that the scariness never really goes away that i’ll still often feel like that 16-year-old farm girl dressed in boots, patting cows looking out across the field at the end of the barn longing for something exciting to happen
maybe i would have realized sooner that the stars don’t just fall for anyone
Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! Although, being aware of how important a healthy mental health is really an all-time gig, not just for the month of May. Just being a listening ear for someone can be a great help, too.
I like posting quotes regarding mental health, because I feel like many of us struggle and it is not talked about enough. We often don’t pay enough attention to our mental health. This is a friendly reminder to do something for yourself this week. Breathe and take it one step at a time. Sometimes, the dawning of a new day, does let you reset when you need to. Anxiety always tells us things are worse than they are.
May is almost here, and the days are flying by like a bird caught in a storm. It’s not been smooth sailing here, unfortunately. Dealing with some mental health issues and with a chocolate lab who is recovering from TPLO surgery and who wants to run and play but can’t. Energy levels have been low.
The sun is out, though, and spring is definitely here! I snapped these on campus the other day. Soo pretty outside!! Annd I’ve included some pictures of poor Koda in his cone. Hopefully, the doctor will give us good news at his check-up next week. 🙏
I hope everyone has a good weekend! I hope to post more next week!
We are home with a chocolate lab who is recovering from TPLO surgery, and work is picking up at the University while the semester is nearing its end. It’s my first full cycle (fall and spring together) and I can’t believe I’ve almost been on my new job for 10+ months!
Life keeps plugging on, but don’t forget to take time for yourself. (Example: I deliberately take a day off every 6-8 weeks to get my hair recolored.) A healthy mental health is so important and something we tend to ignore like it’s just going to get better. I am currently trying new medication and while enduring the side effects is not awesome, I’m already starting to see results. Like, is this how it feels to not feel some form of worry 100% of the time?! It’s crazy.
Hi all! We found ourselves in Vermont to view the solar eclipse and man, it was so worth it! We drove 700+ miles (14 hours in the car,) and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Let me set the scene…
At a rest stop outside of Newport, Vermont. Cars surround the little patch of rest area. The sky is blue with not a cloud in sight, and the sun beats down with such warmth that you don’t mind the lingering patches of snow on the ground or the cool breeze that smells like pine trees. Some people are there with telescopes, too, and there are a few dogs. Others spread blankets out on the grass and people sit around in chairs under trees or near their cars. A dad and a son play Frisbee while waiting. An older woman walks by. “What a day to be alive!” she says.
Across the way, someone is cooking bacon. There are a few scientists nearby, throwing words around like ‘progression’ and someone asks, “is this your first totality?” Several people are wearing black ‘2024 Solar Eclipse’ t-shirts. On the highway, cars trickle by, as well as some large trucks; the sound of plastic flapping loudly on wrapped cargo as it barrels down the hill. Some trucks honk at the people at the rest stop. In solidarity of the eclipse, perhaps, or maybe they’re annoyed there’s no room for them to stop…too rest…
A few people wander over to Michael at his telescope; curious about the equipment he’s using and at what setting…clearly he must have a camera mounted to that large telescope. (He doesn’t. He used his phone.) Someone starts to play music, but it isn’t intrusive; the light rock just feels like part of the experience; relaxing and playful.
Then, the light disappears completely, and your breath catches. The sun is gone and you’re surrounded by a three-hundred-sixty degree view of what looks like a sunset. Two planets appear in the sky suddenly. They’ve been there this whole time, but you’re so surprised…and the light that glows around the moon feels otherworldly and transformative.
There have been a few sights in my lifetime that have made me cry. Some of the landscapes in Zion, Utah, as well as seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time. This was also one of them. #10/10. #wouldrecommend.
I hope many of you were able to enjoy the eclipse, and if not…I hope you catch the next one. Happy Thursday!
A. J. Morse 