My head felt so much lighter, and looking at the hair on the floor surrounding my chair, there was good reason. My first hair cut in 4 months felt glorious, but not as glorious as the color that came next! Roots were made lighter and highlights were happily put back into hair that had missed them. No longer black roots with reddish blonde ends. A cut and color made me feel lighter.
Each evening after dinner, I lace up my students and walk around my neighborhood. My goal is to hit 10,000 steps a day and this quarantine lifestyle doesn't make it easy. An extra walk is required to hit that target. I listen to my friends on Voxer or I learn from podcasts. Slowly, every so slowly, the quarantine pounds are starting to shed. My body feels lighter. The sun goes down later now. It is lighter, pushing bedtime for my children off to after 9. Sometimes 10. Nowhere to rush to usually so an early bedtime is not necessary. I sit in my screened-in porch, next to the sky blue hydrangeas that are on the other side of the screen, and read what I want to read. My workload is lighter. We are starting to see friends and family. Father's Day was not all alone like Easter and Mother's Day. It feels happy and right to be around people. There is social distancing. There are no hugs. Yet my soul is lighter with these moments of togetherness. The world is full of light and dark, joyful and painful times. For so long, it felt so bleak, so isolating, so scary. We are not through the woods, but I see a clearing. As the expression goes, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We've been in a tunnel for a long time. I look to the light. I look for the light. I look to be the light. I am lighter today.
7 Comments
6/23/2020 11:46:57 am
I love the images you created and the repetition you used. You lightened my load as I read.
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6/23/2020 02:18:42 pm
Oh, what a spirit-lifter is a visit to the salon! As is a walk, and hydrangeas and easier hours ... I feel lighter having read this, Kathleen. I rejoice with you. I feel this could be my mantra, every day: I look to the light. I look for the light. I look to be the light. Love that so much.
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Stacey
6/23/2020 02:29:50 pm
That should’ve said January, not June.
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Donnetta D Norris
6/23/2020 05:03:28 pm
I love all ways your life is lighter. I especially like the last lines..."I look to the light. I look for the light. I look to be the light.
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Erika Victor
6/24/2020 06:42:06 am
Trust you to be looking for and noticing the light! I got my hair cut today and agree- it feels good. I am getting my 10,000 steps via my exercise bike, which was an early lockdown buy I do not regret. I feel like we are going to be in and out of the light for awhile yet, so you are wise to note the positives as they come!
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6/24/2020 02:07:32 pm
Love how you play with how much lighter you feel - the haircut, the walks, the later bedtime, the workload, seeing people...
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AuthorKathleen Neagle Sokolowski Archives
February 2024
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