Spring Has Arrived

“See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves in heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.” (Song of Solomon 2:11-13, NIV)

Spring has arrived in Georgia – and it is spectacular! Right now, the wisteria, forsythia, dogwood trees and cherry trees are all in bloom! Azaleas and tulips are adding to the magnificence. The birds are back – their songs creating a symphony around me. The sights, sounds, and smells of spring are everywhere.

Saturday was a splendid day – over 80° outside – and not a cloud in the sky – so I laid out for a while in the afternoon. I decided that since it had quickly become sandal weather, I needed to work on my pedicure. I wore boots all winter, and did not do anything with my toes, so it was pretty bad. I massaged my feet with oil and lotion. I took off what little bits of old polish were still left on my nails. (Funny thing – back in July I had a pedicure and got a flower design put on my big toes. When I got through all the layers, I found the remnants of one of those flowers…) I trimmed my nails, and worked on the cuticles. Finally, I painted them. In the end, they didn’t look too bad – not quite the same as having someone else do it – but acceptable. So now, I feel comfortable in my sandals – and of course, my toe rings. I didn’t wear my toe rings all winter. No one could see them, and when I wear socks, the toe rings are not very comfortable.

Several things hit me about this pedicure. First of all, this time last year I could not get my foot close enough to be able to work on it. There was far too much stomach in the way – and I was completely inflexible. Thanks to yoga, and to the weight I’ve lost, doing my own pedicure was not only possible, but also very enjoyable. Secondly, layering nail polish (instead of stripping it off each time) is rather a lazy way to go about things. I would be in a hurry – and need to rush out the door – so I did a “quick fix” instead of doing it correctly. It worked for a while, but when I finally tried to get the polish off, it took a lot more effort. Unfortunately, that is also what I did with the weight. I kept depositing layer after layer of fat, and getting that off takes a lot more effort. Finally, the effort is worthwhile. I like that my toes are brightly colored – and that I can wear both sandals and toe rings again. And I like that I’m at a place where I like what I look like – and am comfortable in my own skin.