Hibernation is Over

I admit it, I do.  I am a hermit. I understand the desert mothers and fathers. I get their need to leave the world a bit and be with oneself and to listen for God. I feel like I do that more often than I used to and maybe I do, after all, I am getting older.  But that “away” time is also a productive time and in reality, I am just away from the online interactions.  I am still here and connecting with whoever wants to connect.

January is always a hard month, I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way.  The let down of the holidays happens as do the financial realities. This year we

added to that my oldest returning to school.  She was with us for most of the month, and it was nice.  Along with that is the bill though and all the bills to come. Reality of the next ten years setting in.  This month it hit me hard that in a year’s time I will be seriously looking for the next one to go.  I have to change my whole plan of action again.  I needed this time to internalize all of this.

In the interim I finished a couple of scarves, learned to purl (but that is a whole other post) and finished a couple of books.  I did a teen Confirmation retreat with my eldest (another post) and spent a week and a half pretty sick. I was of course followed by my daughter and husband who caught what I had. We painted our parish center (HUGE EVENT!) and my office. Do hermits do those things, I wonder? Perhaps.

But yesterday Punxsutawney Phil and  Staten Island Chuck both predicted an early Spring. So out of self-imposed hibernation I go. Get ready, Lent and my 50th birthday are coming this month!  I hope you join me!

It makes me wonder, am I the only one who does this? Share your reactions in the comments below!