A sanctuary

I certainly don't live on the busiest of streets, but there's plenty of traffic what with the 2 bus stops, the 4-way stop just down the block, and the school farther down the street. Along with the cars, there's lots of foot traffic. Needless to say, my front yard isn't the quietest, most restful of spots.

And when we moved into this house, almost everything about it was ugly from the chain link fence and overgrown juniper bushes to the falling apart wall-to-wall closet in the cave of a bedroom.

But we're working to make it beautiful. We tore down that chain link fence. We remodeled the whole bedroom. We painted each room colors that I adore and that make me smile just thinking about them. And this spring and summer I hope to carve out a quiet space for myself in a small back room that is filled with sunshine.

The front yard is really coming together, too. I'm creating a sanctuary for myself even on this busy street. And a sanctuary for others, too, I hope. Tim bought me this lovely birdbath for my birthday last year. It is ready and waiting for any feathered friends.

This summer, I think I will choose to not hear the cars or buses. This summer, I will sit on my front porch and read as the sun drops below the mountain. This summer, I will eat dinner on my back deck and feel the cool of the day as it drops onto my shoulders.

How much of life do I get to choose? Probably more than we realize. Attitude, emotions, responses, actions - these are all things over which I have much control. As hard as I work to exert control over the many growing things in my garden (both wanted and unwanted), shouldn't I work that hard to control myself, mold myself into something beautiful? Not in a false, forced way, but in the sense of constant improvement, working toward a lovelier, softer, kinder me.

May I be a reflection of the good in life, the God of love, and the power of choice!