If you live in the midwest, like I do, you can probably agree that March sucks. It can’t make up its mind if it’s winter or spring and every day is a gamble. Sometimes I see this indecision as glass half full – if we expect it to be cold and gray all the time, then it’s easy to be grateful when the sun peaks through.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’m calling “The In Between” – or moments of solace with myself void of capitalism, work, responsibilities, distractions, hustle. We’re always moving from one thing to the next, and most of the “nexts” are invaded by capitalism – pressure to be productive, check off the to do list, send that email, or purchase this new thing that’s supposedly going to change your life. There aren’t a ton of naturally occurring moments in our world where we encounter stillness, peace, emptiness, gentleness. We have to make space for them and pay attention when we find them.
A non-exhaustive list of my In Between moments:
riding the bus, looking out the window
watching my cat play with a new toy
morning walks in Palmer Square Park– watching neighbors on their runs or walking their dogs, watching the squirrels chase each other up the trees, listening to the birds sing to each other
taking my time in a hot shower
listening to music with my eyes closed
staring at the daffodils and their tiny folds and curves, feeling immense gratitude for their vibrance
If you think about it, March is kind of an In Between. It’s that transitional time between winter and spring. We’re all so eager for the next thing, for spring to come, and rightfully so– the sun is a BIG DEAL. However, what can we gain by appreciating this In Between for what it is? For example, I’m really enjoying staring at the barren trees creeping across the sky. I study their shapes and silhouettes and size in awe because I know that soon they’ll be full of blooms and leaves and it’ll all be different.
I recently made a print about this concept called Pay Attention. I made it in collaboration with my friend and art peer, Taylor Turnbull. Taylor is a cyanotype artist and has based a lot of her practice on paying attention. She creates a lot of her pieces from found flowers and foliage, and the art of being present with your surroundings. You can find this print IRL at Lot’sa. Maybe I’ll list it online, but for now, I hope it brings you some inspiration.
Other musings in the land of Catdroool:
Paper Clay – I’ve been thoroughly enjoying experimenting and making with paper clay. It feels so good to reuse paper that would’ve otherwise gone in the trash.
Did List – if you suffer from ADHD, anxiety, or generally feel the weight of the world via your to do list every day, I highly recommend starting a Did List. Throughout the day I jot down things I did. Most of the things on the list are not related to work or productivity, but rather things that fill up my cup.
Drop-in Modern Dance Classes – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed dropping in to Damon Green’s Tuesday night Modern Dance Class at Visceral. I danced for many years as a kid, and it feels great returning to it through this approachable, non-judgmental, and inspiring setting.
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The problem for me is that I get stuck in the in-betweens! It's always so hard to reel it in and move onto another task that's being demanded of me lol. Looking at the dandelions popping up always seems so much more important to me than responding to the email