New Beginnings

Today is a new beginning in a multitude of ways. March begins today, which is also the first full month of my new living arrangement. Today is also the beginning of a major renewal of inspiration and spirit to continue the work I have been called to do through Kids of the Gulf.

It’s the beginning of a 9-day push to achieve a big fundraising goal to help those who are hungry through the Hunger Walk/Run here in Atlanta.

And, this is also the point where I begin to share more openly again about the process I’m going through.

What has remained constant throughout this meandering journey has been an insatiable appetite for change, growth, and pushing myself outside my comfort zone.

All of the above have been available in ample doses lately.

At times, I get so deeply involved with the process that I’m going through that I have a tough time slowing down long enough to share it here on my blog. This post was started 2 weeks ago, but I didn’t get more than a few sentences before something pulled me away. Evidently I wasn’t ready to share yet, and in some ways it feels like I’m still not.

Interestingly, I don’t really miss my loft. Living there for 9+ years was amazing, and I thought it would be much harder to leave it. The transition happened quite gracefully, although I learned a lot about what it takes to prepare a fully furnished home for others to move into. That process alone consumed a solid week of my time and parts of several weeks leading up to the final push.

I must admit here that I haven’t developed much of a routine in my new place. I haven’t meditated in 2 months or more, the exercise program has been spotty at best, and clearly, writing hasn’t been a focus. In fact, most social media activity has dwindled for me.

Perhaps I was expecting too much, too quickly. As if I was going to bounce right into a new reality after an exhausting lead-up sprint and hit the ground running with the vigor of a young kid. I suppose I just needed some time to process it all privately.

The best thing about this process is that I feel like I can breathe again. The work that I feel compelled to do is getting more attention and is coming into sharper focus.

I get up every day and look out over Piedmont Park with a cup of freshly pressed coffee in my mug, listening to the sounds of the city humming in the background. Construction on the Beltline  (a walking/biking/transit project) continues right beneath my window and reminds me how much I enjoy riding my bike throughout the city, and also how progress continues its steady march forward, with or without my participation.

I promised to share this process as it unfolds and although it took me a few weeks to get to the point where it felt natural to share, here we are.

Today is a new beginning. I’m celebrating it with a smile and renewed spring in my step.  What about you?