Bridget Bryan

Day three of the Hope Writer’s Challenge. Renew. What does renew mean?

Renew. Re-new: make new again, revitalize, refresh. In some cases, rebuild. Trying to do it all over again, but with a new spirit. There are many takes on the definition: seven total in Merriam Webster’s big ol’ book.

The other day we thought about slow, then rest, and now renew.

Why?

There’s a sequence here.

Outside of us, in the rest of nature, the seasons follow this pattern. 

Slow: Autumn. Rest: Winter. Renew: Spring. 

Mankind is very good at constructing artificial realities that take away from this. Our fast-paced, bright, flashy, screen-y culture of today distracts us from what we are first a part of. 

Have you ever had a day where you just feel like everything is going against the grain? Like you are dragging yourself against what the ‘natural’ part of you would rather do, even things that ordinarily are no big deal?

I’ve observed this feeling during the November-February season, especially on cold cloudy days, and also anytime during the year when the wind is coming from the east, or a low pressure storm system is gradually rolling in. At the new and full moons one can sense a similar feeling. What is this feeling?

It’s as though nature is ruffling you. Some times you can actually feel a strain, as though you are forcing something, yet you don’t understand it.

It seems during those times, it’s actually an invitation to assent, and slow down, and take a moment to rest and recalibrate and do things that fit the season.

If we try to live with the seasons, then we, like the plants and trees in spring will burst through the ground of the gray wintery season, and bear fruit once more. That renewal will depend upon how deeply we have taken entered into the rest before it.

“And I rest in the hope that one bright day

Sunshine will burst through these prisons of clay

And old Gabriel’s trumpet and the voice of the Lord

Will wake up the dead in the old churchyard.”

What in your life renews your spirit?

Thank-you very much for reading! I appreciate your time and attention!

Below is a candle similar to the one my aunt gave me for Christmas. Candles are part of my mini-rests and renewals. A beeswax candle has the sweet clean smell of real beeswax, and provides the calm, rest, and renewal that only a flame and glowing wax can. “Fire comforts every man,” said Hilaire Belloc.

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