This world is an awfully noisy place for a quiet soul. I am constantly reminded of this to the point I wonder if the world ever gets tired of its own nonsense.

If you ever wonder how I’m doing there are two ways to tell – the regularity with which I’m writing in my free time and the state of my refrigerator.

If I’m writing every day and my fridge is reasonably clean, I’m doing great. When I go missing from this space and the fridge is out of hand, send help.

There’s nothing wrong other than my inability to time travel or to add hours to most days. Everything is fine but my work and volunteer commitments have been demanding enough that any kind of creativity or even reading has been too much to ask. Even poor Scout has been deprived of attention.

I tell you that to say this.

Life happens in seasons. This part of the year is challenging because it needs to be. Another six weeks or so and life will go back to normal.

Maybe your season is even more challenging than mine. Maybe you don’t know when it will end. Maybe you fear it never will.

I bet it will if you give it time.

Personally, I have shifted out of the winter cocoon of reading and soup into a kind of survival mode where dinner is sometimes cheese and crackers while I watch the Andy Griffith Show. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

Easy and gentle, steady as it goes. The only way out is through. This season won’t last forever. Last night I cleaned out the fridge. Today I write. Tomorrow maybe I’ll read. In a month or so I’ll start planning some spring adventures.

Difficult seasons won’t last forever. Give yourself some grace and do what you can. Everything is going to be fine.

And when the world is too noisy, be sure to protect your quiet soul.