Schedules

Living here in the North Woods, my living to a schedule has shifted. I used to love getting new planners and figuring out what goals I wanted to achieve in a year. I then created three-month action plans that were broken into months, weeks, and days. I even tried to time block my days with focused activity. And it became too much. My kids are out of the house and living beautiful lives of their own. I was able to finish a thirty-plus career when it became more of a burden than a place to learn and grow. It was then we moved to the North Woods to start again, fulfill a dream, finally have a spot to anchor.

And that brings me to schedules. I, we, have had to keep schedules most of our lives. School schedules. Summer schedules. Work schedules. Children’s schedules. I met a woman once who lived on a farm and she lived her life according to the daylight and the seasons. She was never on time because, I guess, she lived her life according to the priorities of the day–clean horse stalls, get feed for the horses, fix a paddock fence, stop and chat with a friend. Her life flowed in an infuriating way to those of us living to a schedule. I have no idea where she is now but her approach to living has stuck with me. Her way of living mirrored nature.

In the forest that surrounds us, the trees leaf out, grow, and lose their leaves to a seasonal schedule based on sunlight and heat. The increased sunlight and warmth after the winter chill triggers growth. For me, those first few times of feeling Spring Fever, of wanting to put away my winter coat, put on sandals, and drive with the windows down, even if it is only 50 degrees outside. I wonder if trees get that initial jolt of joy when it is time to leaf out.

We are getting closer to the time when there is less daylight. Evenings become cooler and leaves start dropping. Life above ground has appeared to stop, but below ground the roots are keeping the trees rooted and healthy. In winter, I appear to be dormant on the outside. But inside, I have the time to think of new things to write and plant and create. I search for new places to visit, new recipes to try, new books to read. I begin those small acts of creation not because it is in a planner but because I am in that season. I don’t like to be late for appointments so I’m finding there are less appointments on my calendar. Less things to schedule and plan so I can fully and creatively live the season I’m in.