I am sitting in my living room, the room is dark and I am bathed in the glow of my keyboard and computer screen. It is good to be writing. I have the radio on and a glass of wine beside me. There are major protests right at this very moment against the keystone pipeline and I am fully aware of the issues that reside abundant on this planet. Things are changing, are at risk of devastation, and people are stepping up to the plate to fight against Trump and the current administration. It is exhilarating and frightening, what could happen to us all. My skin and consciousness is stimulated with being aware of the craziness of the world and all that is going on.

My personal life is pleasant. I am thankful to have some work at the Library and we are getting by okay with neither of us working miraculously. Our spirits are up as the light is returning and we approach Spring. I hear it in the air, the birds are singing slightly different songs, and I smell it in the air, the slight warmth of the sun is emanating fragrance from the earth. I know that Imbolc and groundhogs day is just over a week away. We are preparing for a celebration with a fire at sunset to renew our vows and to honor and sink into the change that is on the horizon. Imbolc is my favorite holiday of the year and symbolizes the momentum that begins to pick up, the calm before the storm so to speak. It is the threshold between the dark stillness and the warm newness and life filled blooming of spring. Imbolc is halfway between winter solstice and spring equinox, and it is a reminder of the ever evolving world that we live in. It is a time of renewed hope and new beginnings. It is my favorite time of year.

So as we emerge from our slumber, our lives become full of an increased motivation and energy. I am excited to say that I have rediscovered my bicycle and I have a renewed strength when it comes to creating good habits for myself. There is this generally positive feeling that comes with the returning of the warmth and I am simply grateful to be alive. As we enter this renewed vitality for life, I hope that we all have a renewed vitality for this planet as well. I again am amazed at the public and how people have surfaced to fight for what they believe in. It is refreshing to me. Often I feel stronger when times become difficult or challenges arise. My name I have been told means “Tower of strength in a crises”. I feel this strength arising in me now and I hope that I am able to remind my friends and acquaintances of the strength that resides within themselves during these hard times. It is often in the dark that we are reminded of the light. It is only in hardship that we learn of the process of transformation and the ability to evolve into improved beings with enlightened consciousness. So here is to learning our strength through this hardship. May we persevere in order to change ourselves and our world for the better.