The Promise Outside My Window

It's supposed to rain but it hasn't yet and sun is shedding an ambiant glow over us, you know, that lighting that comes when the sun wants to shine but can't quite make it through the clouds. It gives the day a certain lustre, a promise of wonderful things to come if we only let them.

All around me are signs of a new day. It's still early here and the bulldozers are already busy digging hole across the way for a new home that's being built. How exciting, a new home, some family is going to be moving into a brand new neighbourhood, a friendly neighbourhood with kids and happy people and dogs and an atmosphere of welcome and friendliness. They're lucky people. I know this because I live here and it's a jolly place to be. I love our neighbourhood and our neighbours.

It's interesting to move into a new subdivision. We're in a small town and this subdivision is a big deal in the growth of the town. It's a sign of promise and growth for a tiny economy and while I did spend some time with the guilt of leaving a bigger carbon footprint than I'd ever intended, eventually I let go of that and enjoyed the process of our new home being built and slowly amalgamating ourselves into the neighbourhood and the society of the town. It's been wonderful.

Our neighbour down the road called us "subdivision pioneers". We were the 5th house built here. Indeed I think we had it pretty easy compared to the real pioneers who settled here a hundred years or more ago. But the dust, the noise, the mud, the inconvenience of the mess the spring before the grass was laid on our lot was overwhelming. I am so grateful for the timely invention of Crocs, they were easy to hose down when the kids played in the mud. Kids played, I hosed them in the driveway, set the Crocs in the sun and let them dry. Perfect.

The neighbourhood is not finished. We have an empty lot for sale directly across the street from us. I'm excited for it to sell, we'll have to deal with the mess and inconvenience of a building crew next door but new neighbours and a new view will be very exciting.

So the view out my front window isn't particularly pretty, mud, a hole, bulldozers and trucks, but also, in the glimmer of the morning light, the clouds slowly moving in bringing the rain they promised, I see that it's all just reflective of the way of life. Change, hope, promise, happiness, cycling, renewing, rebuilding and carrying on. All beautiful in they carry the message of inherent hope in what is to follow.

Have you ever noticed that while you are cleaning your house, that's when it's the messiest? Vacuum is out, cleaning supplies and rags all over, furniture moved aside, the transition is not attractive, but in the end it glistens and shines and you feel better for having done the work, gone through the transition and you are pleased with the final product.

All of life is transition. Go through the messy, step in the mud, move the furniture, start over, and always, always as you go keep your eye on the prize. A clean home, a new neighbour, a new job, a new way of life all require going through some mess. See the promise in the mud. See the future in the dust. As long as you shine the best possible light on it you will get through gloriously and reap the ultimate reward at the end.

Namaste