It’s early, and I’m laying here listening to the rain as I write this. I remember doing the same early on when all of this started with the pandemic and the shelter at home and realizing just how LONG it been since I’d done this and how really wonderful it was. I make a special point of setting my alarm a little early these days so I won’t lose that again.

And now that we’re out – sort of – and you stop and look past the craziness of what’s still out there, there are signs of progress. People standing up for each other, artists returning to their work and speaking to their renewed awareness as to what their talent does for the world … Good things.

And as full as my plate still is, I’m wrapping up giant packages, slowly atraching the bows. And with Mercury going into retrograde I hear tell this is the perfect time to do just that.

Little things keep happening. Little things that used to feel like such BIG things. My garbage disposal broke – but I fixed it myself thanks to my friend Bess and a set of Pinterest instructions.

I moved the counter at the store – along with the cords to the credit card machine – that were run across the 12 foot ceiling, thanks to my friend Michael remembering we had borrowed a ladder from the landlord to do it the first time, and my landlord coming out to loan it again.

Not that these friends wouldn’t have helped before, but this time I remembered to ask BEFORE I panicked, and I appreciate (vs. resent) having ACCOMPLISHED (vs. ‘having had to handle’) them myself.

And my truck was hit and run recently. But the fellow returned, and it all seems to be being handled. It’s a pain, and a lot of leg work, but in the middle of telling my ‘all about me tale,’ a friend shared that she’d lost her husband through all of this …

And I’m open – ish. And it’s a little over whelming at times to be ‘back in the saddle’ and ‘out in the mix’ but it’s WONDERFUL to have folks back into my shop. Everybody paying a little more attention to each other, and being excited to be back. I missed this.

It’s not over Sunshine. Not on the grand scheme, not even close to home, but it’s GOOD to be moving in the right direction. It’s good to be keeping it ALL in perspective. And it’s good to be retaining and maintaining the lessons.

And most of all, it’s good to remember that ‘you always get tested the most before you progress to the next level’.

Namaste Sunshine,
See you when you get here ❤

This post first appeared on The Painted Mermaid‘s Facebook page and is posted here by permission. Amy is the author of 10 Little Rules for Mermaids.