Spring in Santa Barbara
Oh, to be in England, now that spring is here…
Well, not really. But I am in Santa Barbara for a few days, soaking up the delicious sun and admiring the intense greens of new grass and leaves. It will be another month before we get the same level of springiness in Illinois — where it was snowing yesterday.
It’s a pleasure to see my friends here, and a joy to help solve their problems. Over a delightful breakfast at CrushCakes on Hollister, we found and fixed an issue that has dominated someone’s life for 40 years. After I got back to the friend’s house where I’m staying, I figured out how to get her printer working properly: it now prints in color for the first time in six months. Hurray! It’s those hues that make us human! When I can help to change someone’s life, then I’m doing my job both as a Geotran practitioner and as a fellow human.
There is a contradance tonight in Pasadena, and another tomorrow night here in SB. Of course I brought two dance outfits with sparkly silver shoes, and I get to twirl, and flirt, and generally be my brilliant self among people who love to dance just as much. I haven’t yet bedded into the dance community in Urbana, although that is more possible and appealing now that the weather is finally warming up. The dance community here in Santa Barbara is established and attracts good bands and callers, plus I’ve been dancing here for 15 years, so I know almost everyone on the floor.
Whether here or there, it’s time (in the northern hemisphere at least) to consider our physical gardens and also our interior gardens. What seeds are we planting for this year’s harvest? I’m working on tolerance, patience, and trust. That means eliminating, or at least reducing, lifelong habits of intolerance, impatience, and mistrust — or the feeling that I have to do everything myself because otherwise it won’t get done correctly.
What do you plan to dig up and put on the compost pile?
What do you plan to grow instead?
It takes the same energy to tend positive habits as negative ones, so choose to put your focus and effort on those qualities, traits, and behaviors that help you be YOU with more ease and grace.
Oh, and by the way — those of you who are attempting to put your spam links or comments on my website … just stop. I’m never going approve them, and it’s a waste of my time having to delete three dozen spam comments per day. All you do is ensure that I will never, ever buy anything from your site, so knock it off!