We made it to March 20, 2023 – First Day of Spring, also known as the Spring Equinox, when days share roughly the same amount of daylight and darkness.
The Southern California winter has been more extreme this year.
Rain, snow, cold and wind have kept us indoors – with some even experiencing hints of SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, which can be a type of depression associated with late autumn and winter in colder climates and thought to be caused by a lack of light.
We have at least two reasons to celebrate on this first day of Spring:
1. We aren’t alone in feelings which shorter, darker days and stormy weather may cause.
As sober and addiction free people in AA and other 12-Step Recovery programs come to discover, a great sense of unity and hope arises from knowing that others have felt similar dark struggles and come through to strength and joy by learning that isolation’s feelings are a shared human condition which do not need to last forever.
2. Springtime’s regenerating love frees us from behaviors which seem to push away the health and fitness goals we tell ourselves we want.
Paraphrasing the Dalai Lama…Lose weight because you love yourself, not because you hate yourself.
No more beating ourselves up because of what too tight clothes and scales say due to indoor days overeating.
Reaffirm daily…I love myself and am worth good self care. Today I choose foods and activities which energize and set my body free.
Today and every March 20th we rejoice with Percy Bysshe Shelley, 19th Century English poet…
The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
