Embracing Change: A Spring Equinox Transformation

March 20^th marked the vernal (spring) equinox, the transition from winter to spring, observed by approximately equal lengths of day and night.  Nature uses winter as a time for plants and animals to withdraw from the world, with its scarce light and resources amidst the cold, and turn inward to conserve energy and rejuvenate.  The transformations forged through the winter, literally spring forth with the rising temperatures and lengthening daylight of spring.  Though only a metaphorical term, the human equinox coincides with the astrological one, marking a time of balance, transition, and the potential for new beginnings for humans. In North Carolina, both are marked with pine pollen allergy season!

This may all sound a bit philosophical for my first post in five months, but the concepts seem to fit how I am feeling. At the end of October, three months after my hip replacement, I underwent surgery for total shoulder replacement.  Both surgeries went very well, as are the recoveries.  Though not linear, my rehabilitation has been steady and progressive.  The only way to describe the result of these surgeries, and a lot of effort poured into recovery, is life-changing.  Back issues notwithstanding, my quality of life is at a higher level than I have experienced in probably a decade!  So, as I emerge from a winter of transformation, I finally feel a transition from recovery to homeostasis, a new normal.  My mind and body seem to have reached a relatively stable internal environment and are ready for some new external challenges.  Time to get moving!

Short, easy hikes and modified hot yoga, in addition to riding, has really helped my physical recovery.  Hanging out at Burnout Alley, going to trivia nights, and reading a ton of books has kept me mentally and socially engaged.  Last weekend, I returned to the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, NC for a writer’s workshop facilitated by Cheryl Strayed.  She wrote the New York Times best-seller titled Wild about her cathartic 3-month hike of the Pacific Coast Trail in 1995.  The book was turned into a critically acclaimed movie by the same name, which garnered Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern Academy Award nominations for their roles in it.  I met so many interesting writers, both aspiring and established, with fascinating stories to tell; I left the workshop re-energized and inspired.  Who knows, maybe all these experiences I have been collecting throughout my life will result in a book someday 😉

Stay tuned for the next adventure starting soon!