The Shape of a Year

I think years have a shape.

I've never liked winter much. I used to think of January and February as cold, dark months that only existed to make us wait for March.

March can be cold, but brings possibilities. Spring flowers and a lightening of the evenings - and my birthday!

April meant the hope of real spring, warmer weather and summer around the corner. From then until September life should be good.

I lived in the north of Scotland for a couple of years, where winter days (and daylight) are very short, and so I wasn't surprised to learn about Seasonal Affective Disorder and sunlight deficiency, and how it affects mood.

Moving to New Zealand changed the shape of my year. January and February mean summer and the beach, and therefore aren't the dark months I had associated with them for so long.

For the first eighteen months or so, I took every day, every season, as it came. If I didn't think about what month it was, then it wasn't so confusing.

Daffodils in September! Easter during autumn and Christmas in summer!

The shape of my year has changed, but ultimately what I do, and how I approach each season and month, is up to me.

The little people were in the back of the car the other day discussing what they wanted to do when they grew up. One was very definite. When she grew up she wanted to make a potion that took her back to the age of seven (her age now). 

Why now? Because now was wonderful.

Now is what we have. We should make the most it.

PS. 
She said she'd give me some of the potion so I could go back to the age I am now. I asked if the potion could take off another ten years for me, and she said of course, her potion would be able to do that easily.

Such confidence!