Spring Turning

The winter bench I waited on with my hot water-bottle, stilled under bare branches, is flanked by yellow tulips now. Fruit trees line our lots in wafting blossoms. Each tall frame’s plastic hitches up in bunches like a little girl’s party dress at the end of the night.

And Farmer Tess is prepping herb beds in the sun. Spring comes, ready or not. 

I hoped to change my winter waiting into preparation for my next life stage.

While veg team seeded, women recovered, and children tucked in garlic scapes, I studied grants and spreadsheets.

Visionary gusto around the grant-writing table is infectious, and Emma and Keni are among the most passionate professionals I’ve met.

Tracking down stats, weighing merits of a capital grant against a capacity grant, getting curious about what their neighbors need – the writers stuck their noses into every other team.

So I saw a lot.

The therapeutic programs caught me most, and Morgan invited me to follow her around. Winter prep took an unexpected turn in spring: I’m exploring what it looks like to become an elementary counselor. 

Preparation as active waiting feels just right. Like the women’s recovery group (Hope is Winter Work) must act to remake dreams into hope, I spent my winter doing a new thing, though unsure exactly of the goal. That gave me clarity for my next step. 

And isn’t that all any of us get, really?