Some of you may be wondering why this is my first post in a couple of months, others are probably thinking, "you have a blog?!" Ha ha!
This past winter has admittedly been one of my hardest winters in my battle against what can only be described as "the winter blues." I took the photograph you see above just yesterday and as I walked by this bench, it really stood out to me. My winter blues are much like this pond. In the spring and summer, it’s alive and full of sounds. From the ducks and geese wading through, to the guys that stay out past sunset with their fishing poles in the water, to the frogs croaking at night.
Yet in the winter time, the bench sits empty. The frogs don’t croak, the geese and ducks have migrated south, the pond freezes up, and the fishermen pack up their gear for the winter months. Often times, the only sounds you hear are the crunch of snow underneath your boots and an owl hooting in the distance. In many ways, my winter blues is like that. It feels like with the scenery and animals around me changing, so does my mood.
My luck is beginning to turn around though. While we had a small snowfall the other day, signs of life are starting to return to this pond. The ice is beginning to melt, the ducks and geese have returned, and the smell of spring is in the air. And I begin to awaken from my winter blues as the cool air rejuvenates me, I’m so thankful. And as I walk around the pond I look at the geese who return year after year and I just look at them say, "welcome back, friend."
I had a weird dream the other night. I dreamt that I was back working at Marsh with my friend calling me over the intercom to stop bagging and help cover one of the cashier’s breaks. For those of you who don’t know, I hated running a register after doing it for years and loved the freedom I had as a bagger to move around. For me, putting me at register was like a prison sentence.
I woke up feeling two things: confused and happy. I was confused because it seemed so real to me and yet I was happy when I realized that it was a dream.
Sometimes in the hustle-and-bustle of our everyday lives, we forget where we’ve been and how far we’ve come. For me, there are things I miss about Marsh. But when I think about it, I forget how relieved I was to get out of there.
That dream was a wake-up moment for me, not to take today for granted. It reminded me to be thankful for where God has placed me and to remind me of the chance I’ve been given. I’m thankful for the reminder…
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” – Epicurus
One of the things I love about Indiana is how each season has it’s own distinct flavor: the colors change, the smells change, even the sounds change. At the same time, those are the things that sometimes I don’t like about Indiana. Is it weird that you can love things, yet dislike them at the same time?
For example, in the spring the ground begins to thaw, rains bring in that fresh spring air, trees start to bloom, birds return and chirp, thunder rolls in the distance. I wish spring could stay.
Spring then grows into summer where we experience hot weather, swimming pools, cookouts, camping, long bike rides, later sunsets painting a soft yellow glow over the cornfields. I love summer and wish it could stay, but I greatly anticipate fall.
Fall, where the trees turn a bright vibrant orangish-red, the air gets colder and crisper, leaves fall to the ground. Combines harvest the fields and what used to be rows upon rows of cornstalks are now gone. The horizon is visible as acres of fields lay bare in preparation for winter. Foolishly, I look forward to winter.
Winter is beautiful in its own way. The trees are bare, snow blankets the ground, the sound of silence is in the air as all the birds have migrated south and animals hibernate. With the birds gone and the other animals laying low, the crunching sound of boots on the snow seem to be the only sound around. Off in the distance, a wood burning fireplace adds to the aroma of winter… it’s beautiful.
Yet by this time I’m ready for it to be warm again, I long for spring… the cycle starts over again.
Starting to get the picture? I love Indiana and the seasons, yet at the same time, I can’t wait for the seasons to change. I really must be an Indiana boy… Indiana is home.
“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind
than to be hopelessly in love with spring.” – George Santayana
Today on Veteran’s Day, I think of my grandparents who served in WWII. My Grandpa Kinnaman was in the Army Corps of Engineers and earned a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in the European Theater of Operations. My GrandDad Hicks wasn’t active very long before the Japanese surrendered. He spent time in Iceland and parts of Europe.
All my GrandDad’s brothers served in the armed forces with Bob and Bill serving in the Marines and my Grandad and Phil serving in the Army.
I’m proud of all my family and friends who have served and those who continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces.
The more I work on my genealogy, the more I miss my Grandpa Kinnaman. He was a great man and I miss him so much. I can’t wait for the day that I’ll see him in heaven and he’ll greet me with that all-too-familiar greeting, "Hey there, Turkey!"
I’ll be sure to post some stories about him soon, but for now, I must get back to work. Miss ya Grandpa!
