No more waiting for spring

“The long slow slog until spring.” 

It is January after all. January is the month that starts out with a holiday and good intentions in the form of resolutions. Then normal everyday things such as weather, routines, bills and especially those holiday credit card bills, slowly take our attention. 

With no glowing bright lights of the holidays to offset them. 

The days are still short and cold, good intentions fade, resolutions get put off, the holiday excitement wears off and we wait. 

For spring, for light, for warm weather.  

“We just need to get through the next few months until spring.”

No!  I’m not going to “just wait” for three months! Or five — we are in Minnesota, after all!

This time of year, I start planning my garden, and I started thinking about native seeds. Prairie seeds require this cold dark time of year to be able to grow. So it’s time to make the most of this time of year. 

 It’s time to take advantage of the holidays being done to connect with family without the rush and busyness of the past few months.  

It’s time to try out a new hobby whether it’s painting or skiing or learning a new language with that phone app. 

It’s time to pick up that book sitting unread from last summer, to play that game with the kids, to find the spark that starts the seed growing. 

And it’s even time to take advantage of less light by getting a little more sleep.  

Remember how hard it is to get to sleep when sunset is at 10 p.m. in summer? The time is now to get in some good habits.

No more waiting around. Spring may be months away, but I’m here now. 

Elaine Armstrong is a Mora resident and frequent contributor to the Times.