A beginning is ultimately an invitation to open towards the gifts and growth that are stored up for us.

-John O’Donohue

I’m delighted by the first day of each month. A new page of the calendar, with boxes yet unfilled. I soon write in my regular weekly activities of church, work and volunteering. Being a visual person, I need to see everything written down. It’s both a reminder of what I have planned and where I have free time for rest or connecting with friends.

It’s interesting to see how each month unfolds, looking back at previous months to see where plans canceled or new things were added. In March, a training I had signed up for was canceled due to the instructor getting sick. Those boxes now have lines through them to show a change of plans. A friend had to cancel our lunch date, which opened up time for me to attend a book signing.

Also in March there are notes of when an out of town friend came to visit for the day, when I held retreats and when I picked up the latest merch order. These jotted notes string together to make a sort of diary. At a glance I can see my life broken up into squares, each one representing 24 hours.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

-Annie Dillard

For April, I’ve written notes about family coming to visit, another yoga training, and time with friends. There’s happy anticipation of things to come, both in what I’ve already planned, and the new activities that will be added as the month goes on.