Friday, March 12, 2021

spring awakening

As the winter days continue to fade, the spring awakening begins. With this shift I have found myself reflecting on the past months with some new found clarity, a vantage point that felt buried under feet of snow and muddled thoughts. Weathering these past months of brutal cold and endless greyscapes in Chicago, my inner structure, my core self began rearranging… a quite uncomfortable process. When forced to sit with myself, relatively undisturbed and self-contained for some sixteen weeks, I began itching, poking and prodding at my sense of self…

what do I believe in? 
what brings me peace?
what do I value? 
who values me?

Of course, when we are in these moments of change, it is pretty difficult to recognize them as such growing pains. Which is why the coming of spring has felt especially welcomed this year. With each warming day, I am finding a strengthened insight, a slow burning understanding of my deep winter contemplation. With this recognition comes freedom, a feeling inextricably tied to the burgeoning of spring. 

I am welcoming it in.

cow and donkey on the grassy patch
whitehall, wisconsin
35mm

keeling over paul
university park, illinois
35mm

through the bedroom window
whitehall, wisconsin
35mm

shades of winter
pilsen, chicago
35mm

yellow, orange and brown
university park, illinois
35mm

an uncomfortable getaway
st. louis, missouri
35mm 

linking trails
university park, illinois
35mm

animal therapy
whitehall, wisconsin
35mm