June 7, 2023
It’s been a month! Since my last writing, we have moved from our one-bedroom, 3rd floor apartment to a three-bedroom home in Ft.Worth. We are now close to my work and to my mother-in-law who has Alzheimer’s. It is a new chapter for us, and we are grateful and happy. I have a dedicated office and writing space, a guest bedroom, a real dining room, and an exercise bike. Life is good.
The process of moving is truly a marathon, and we’ve been feeling it in our brains and our bones. It’s disorienting to have our belongings in boxes, even with labels. We’ve worked on it almost every day, unpacking, organizing, and filling empty boxes with donations. Letting go of my extras is easier as I think about the clients we serve who have so little and work so hard to make ends meet. The local domestic violence shelter has a resale shop that provides their clients with whatever they need, while also selling to the public to raise funds. My job connects me to those families, so giving to support them feels more personal and precious than before.
Our sense of home has expanded now that we have a yard again. There is a fragrant mimosa tree in the backyard, shedding its fluffy, pink blooms daily. We assembled our new Adirondack chairs and created a seating area with a bright, colorful rug in the middle of the large patio. The birds dance and sing all around us, and our neighbors have extended a warm welcome. This weekend we planted flowers and bought a new doormat that says, “It’s good to be home.” Amen to that.
As I look back on the past decade, I am relieved that it is in the rearview mirror. It brought numerous lessons and losses, broke us open, and built new muscles in our spirits. It was a season of intense growth that took us out of our comfort zone time and time again. We poured ourselves out for our families, put our dreams on hold, held each other close, and let Love lead. We continued to believe in goodness and grace, and our life spilled over with both. The Universe supported us in countless ways, like bringing wonderful people and opportunities into our path. My mantra has been, “All is in divine order, and all is well.” Indeed.
Our new home is all that we imagined and more. Add to that, we have jobs that we enjoy, friends we adore, and daughters that continue to amaze us. After a hard season there comes a lighter, brighter one. It feels like that to us. We are overcome with gratitude and joy.
Life is a flow of changing seasons, designed to remind us that we are one with both heaven and earth. Every season brings whatever we need to grow and bloom. When we learn to embrace the ebb and flow, the bitter and the sweet, we find beauty, wonder, and strength. We can be surprised by joy. I had never seen or heard of a mimosa tree until now! The Universe threw that in as a bonus.
Blooms & Blessings,
ej
Elisa J. Juarez