Around Elk Lake: The In-Between

Around Elk Lake: The In-Between:               I tolerate the time between winter and full-blown spring.   It’s the “In-Between Time.’   There are days where Old Man ...

The In-Between

 

            I tolerate the time between winter and full-blown spring.  It’s the “In-Between Time.’  There are days where Old Man Winter just won’t let go and the wind blows arctic and the snow flies.  Then there are the days where spring sneaks in and the sun shines and the breeze blows gently.  It’s as if you can watch the trees bud right before your eyes.  But all this back and forth breeds anxiety and yet anticipation.  Sometimes life puts us in the In-Between.  It’s a time where one door has closed and you are waiting for the next window to open.  Maybe you have lost your job; maybe life has taken you to an unexpected place; or maybe you have to put your life on hold in order to take care of a family member.  So what do you do while you are in the In-Between?

            Just as the in-between time of winter and spring often leads to all kinds of mud, you need to avoid the mud of depression, anxiety, a feeling of uselessness, boredom and unproductiveness.  But mud isn’t always bad. A mud pack on your face and body can actually cleanse the skin and draw out the impurities in your system.  Mud can also be fun to play in.  There is something cathartic in making mud pies.  And how about playing a game of soccer in the pouring rain in a completely muddy field?!  That’s abandonment.

            So how do you avoid wallowing in the mud?  For me, I ask God everyday what He wants me to accomplish in that day.  Then I make a plan.  The plan has to be flexible as taking care of my mother does not always go as planned.  The clue is to not go crazy when things don’t go as you want, but rather know that you are in God’s hands and He is in charge.  Try to do something every day that will get you to your goals of where you want to be. It may not be much, but all the little steps will add up.

            Don’t be so anxious so that you can’t enjoy the In-Between.  Look for ways to better yourself.  This can be through reading, going back to school, starting a work-out routine (or just actually doing the one you’ve meant to for years).  If it’s one of those days where spring sets out the sun and the warmth feels like you’re wrapped up comfortably in your favorite quilt, take a long walk, pack a sandwich and eat it while sitting by a lake or river.  Reflect on what you have accomplished and dream of where you want to be.  Do not be afraid to dream, even when our dreams aren’t realized right this minute, half the fun is in the journey of accomplishing our dreams.  Don’t have tunnel vision.  Be open to going in a completely new direction that you did not expect or even conceive of going.  These unexpected trips are often the most rewarding.

            Plan an event of abandonment ever so often.  This could be going to a movie, going to a play, walking along the beach and then swimming with all your clothes on. Try something you have never done before.  This may mean working at a job you never thought about.  Or maybe you get a job that is temporary to support yourself in the In-Between.  Be humble and learn from a 16 year old.

            When you are out of the In-Between, and life has again found an even keel, you will be able to look back with no regrets on what you did in the In-Between.  Hopefully this period of your life was a time of growth, reflection, and maybe, just maybe the exhilaration of a roller coaster.