Day One of Growing Where I am Planted

Each year I become nostalgic when December 1st looms on the calendar. I always vow that the next year will bring amazing dynamics in my life and I will ride the wave of new discovery. Ironically, this December I was in a yoga class and during the relaxation period our leader spoke the following words: "We must always look around us and grow where we are planted." Somehow that phrase stuck with me and I have thought of it frequently during the past three weeks.

I am a transplant. Five years ago, I left my home, children (all adult), friends, and my life as I knew it and moved with my husband to a new location for a career opportunity for him. I moved without hestitation because prior to my marriage, I had lived overseas and in other locations due to my father's occupation. I felt that I could adjust anywhere -- in fact, I prided myself on this ability. However, upon closing up "shop" so to speak, I moved in to a place so unfamiliar to me that I lost all hope of handling this transition with any sort of grace. As I moved my furniture into my new house, I became more and more convinced that this would never be my home.

Although I joined a gym immediately, made myself known to all who would look my way, I felt like a stranger in a strange land. Having lived in Montgomery, Alabama for 30 plus years left me ill prepared for life in West Texas -- specifically, Lubbock, Texas. The geography was something that I had only seen on moon shots -- flat, brown and fairly bleak. The green and leafy scenery that I had taken for granted was gone. I thought that I could certainly become an officianato of the "desert foliage" -- I could become the next Martha Stewart of the cacti culture. To no avail -- the first thing that occurred, just after moving, was my first exposure to the amazing "dust storm". For those of you who have never witnessed this, imagine a wall appearing on your horizon. It moves ever so closer to you and becomes darker as it appears. It then covers your home, street, avenues, town and there is no visibility -- at all. And it is entirely composed of dirt. If you are outside, your mouth becomes filled with dust and breathing is a new found olympic sport.

The weather phenomena only became more bizzare. Following this, I was attacked by a ten foot tumble weed. It was larger than my car and bounced on the ground like a tennis ball. Then came the rain -- filled with the dust and we had raining mud.

I became housebound for fear that I would be taken away by some large flying bird or insect that must surely live in that air space. So..... for the past five years, I have been traveling, traveling, traveling. I have returned home to stay with my children. I have planned destination weddings, welcomed my first grandchild, helped with family traumas, lived in suitcases, vacationed and basically "run like the wind" from all forms of the life I have where I currently reside.

So this year, I have decided to grow where I am planted and to take each day of the next year and find something amazing in the life I lead. I am going to take a moment to appreciate something in my day that is unusual, exciting, touching, unforgettable or forgettable, and most of all appreciate each day as if comes and become a more thankful person for those gifts that are in my day.

I want to share this with my family, friends, acquaintances, and anyone who might want to read about this journey, for I think that this is a journey we all are making. I want to become a better appreciator. I've always thought of myself as a grand appreciator. I have very few talents, but I so love to appreciate the accomplishments of those around me. So for today, I will appreciate that I am appreciating and will appreciate in a far more appreciative way than I have appreciated in the past. At least, I have said this several times and this should stick with me.

I can't believe that I have started this blog. I have great faith that this will help me in my day. I hope that you might find it somewhat interesting.

So for today, I will begin growing where I am planted.