The Quiet Moon & A Winter's Rest
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds you well and safe. It’s a Tuesday afternoon here in Maine and the sky is a beautiful mess of clouds and sun and the air is a pleasant cold. After a rather harrowing weekend storm that brought five inches of RAIN to the foothills, followed by an arctic blast, I am much appreciative of this quieter weather. Outside my window the river valley is shades of brown and green set against bright white hills. Life is returning to its normal cadence after a several days spent with family celebrating the holiday. It’s always a little bittersweet. I appreciate the quiet return of my regular schedule, but miss my kids.
The Quiet Moon
Next week is the first full moon of 2023. Ancient Celts called it the Quiet Moon. For me January has become a time of rest. There is no outside work to be done (other than shoveling) and I don’t travel much in the winter. The holiday rush is over and now is the time to relax and recharge.
I know that for many folks, the idea of resting when they work full time can seem impossible. Throw in some kids and the idea of slowing down becomes even more elusive. But, I’ve always kind of bucked the trend of busy and prioritized my time to include rest and recharge on a regular basis. When my kids were younger I limited the amount of organized activities they participated in and made our time at home as fun as possible (i.e. pizza and movie nights while camping out in the living room). It also helped that during the second half of raising my kids, they were with their dad a couple of weekends a month. That gave me a much needed break.
It’s funny. When I was in the thick of raising my kids, no one talked (openly) about needing a break from their family. It’s like the last taboo of Motherhood. I honestly never understood how married mom’s survived. From what I saw, they never got a break from their caregiving duties.
So, if you are feeling overwhelmed by family or work or life in general, I get it. And I’d encourage you to ask for help from your partner or family or circle of friends. Because you deserve a break and it is not defect to want time to yourself. Okay. I’m putting my soapbox away now. ;)
2023 Moon Chart
To celebrate the first Full Moon of the new calendar year, this week’s free printable is a new Moon Chart for 2023. I hope you like it!
Well Friends, that’s a wrap for 2022. I can’t express the joy that sending out a letter to you each week has brought me over this year. And connecting with so many of you on Instagram has been an added bonus. I’m looking forward to sharing some new adventures in 2023 with you all.
Happy New Year!
Yours,
Lorri