From the Bottom of the Bucket

“It’s just a shot away”- The Rolling Stones

Spring has Sprung….

Things are coming alive on my neighborhood.  I was struck how appropriate this is, given that I am emerging from a year long sabbatical from the outside.  The future seems brighter.  Over this pause, I took to taking walks (some one-hundred and fifty miles) in our neighborhood. The past few weeks the plants are spring to life. It’s nature’s way of reminding us that life goes on, so get with the program!

In Kentucky, spring also means its Derby time.  This year we will see a modified version of The Kentucky Derby festival, which runs for two weeks beginning with Thunder over Louisville, a gigantic air show fireworks extravaganza which can draw more than a half a million spectators.  This year (Covid), it was moved from its traditional venue, to three smaller sites around the area.  We watched from our front porch. An unexpected treat and a reminder of the "new normal".

With all this life springing (pun intended) up in front of us, it is hard not to see the metaphor. After getting their vaccines, people are venturing out a bit more, reconnecting to the outside world. The gaiety of the Derby, just reminds us that life is an experience of ups and downs. A horse race that only is run once.  This year, I remind each of you to sip your julep slowly, savoring its sweetness.  While you are at it, stop and smell the roses, for these experiences are fragile and can be gone in a moment, a memory that can become a dream.

As we approach the end of this past year’s woes, this is a time to ponder the lessons we have learned and the challenges we will face.  I know, for me, these lessons will involve patience, determination, and acceptance.  Oh yes, and The Circle of Life…

Until next month, I wish you fulfillment

Bob