This Spring Morning, I Pause and Reflect

Fellow Spiritual Journey Friends,

On this spring morning, I know it is the moment to "Make Time", to pause and reflect on my spiritual journey. There is one word that has guided me since the beginning of 2026. 

Digital Collage for Opening Blog

Since New Year 2026, I travel the spiritual journey path with thoughts on my one word, restore, and a song, Restore My Soul, that reminds me to find my way. 

Seasons of Restoration

one word floats

like snowflakes'

rhythmic flight

                                         WINTER FLIGHT 

chilled winds blow

earth freezes

tears hold grief

                                      BEREAVEMENT

awaken

from winter's

loneliness

                                  TRANSITION

spring's bounty

revives life

in chaos

                                          GRIEF COUNSELING BEGINS

despite rain

hope opens

new fountains

                                 MID-SPRING

music soothes

lifts grief's weight

sings with birds

                                        SPRINGTIME WISH

hope swirls while

gardens bloom

life brightens

                                        MAY REFRESMENT

grace, peace, and 

memories

opens paths

                              MAY DAYS

summer wish

make time to

reflect, pause

                                        SUMMER BREEZES APPEAR

lead me on

find new paths

summer smiles

                           ONWARD 

©CVarsalona, May 2026, tricube sequence

Click here to listen to the song "Garden of Grace".

For a year, I passed through seasons of change. I listened to earth's movements, managed the walk (even after I fractured my foot last October), broke down as tensions stormed through life, grieved, held on to faith, and prayed in silence, noting that changes needed to unfold.

Where am I now?

I am ready to mingle, not be frightened by grief, and continue my spiritual journey. There is more to come, I am sure but for now, I feel the power of faith while holding on to hope.

Spiritual Journey 2026

Logo: Margaret Simon and Photo: Molly Hogan

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For those who walk with me on the Spiritual Journey, I am thankful. Our small community is filled with faithful companions and friends who believe in the spirit of life. I send wishes for a wonderful weekend. - Carol, June 2026 Spiritual Journey Host

Look Around-What Do You See?

Do you pause and look around when outside? I marvel at nature often even now when I am immobolized by the twist of my ankle. cracks of nature opening its sky every morning when I automatically lift pleated shades to invite the garden to connect with the inside. Some leaves are brown crackling with crunch, but Mother Nature is not yet ready to have this "season change with the scenery". 

If you could, how would you describe earth's landscape at this moment? Would it be the sunshiny essence of summer with waves swiiftly moving in foaming waters?  

Or perhaps you would prefer the crispy sound of brittle leaves as we stroll through the trail on a hazy day.

Some people sit and watch the boats spreading their sails on a windy day in springtime.

 Winter captures the beauty of snowfall and a blazing fireplace.

Mother Nature whimsically changes her scenery with flash surprises of different weather patterns. I am in awe of each season that brings more delight and hope for the future.

Have you noticed that I have used lines from Paul Simon's song, A Hazy Shade of Winter in 1966. The Bangles made the song popular in 1987 for a movie, Less Than Zero. Their lines below concentrate on hope. Many people see hope passing away but we need to believe and rebuild hope to find possibilities for the future.

Hang on to your hopes, my friend

That's an easy thing to say

But if your hopes should pass away

Simply pretend that you can build them again

Look around

Thank you, Michelle Kogan, for giving me the inspiration and artwork to write about time and pausing,

IN AUTUMN

Mother Nature nurtures earth.

Kaleidoscoptic coloring dresses

Landscapes in crimson and gold glory. 

Not to be thwarted by grief,

Autumn shares her brilliance.

Leaning on hope's possibilities

Daylight saving time passes by.

Draft, CVarsalona, 2025, Northern Virginia

🍁🍃🍂
Join me at the Poetry Friday Roundup where Carol Labuzzetta is the host. She is chilling out spending time painting, reading, and crocheting. Today, she shares her Northern Lights poem and a gorgeous, serene photo. You can find her here.

Pause & Reflect on the Spiritual Journey

I have been on a journey of growth both physically and spiritually for many decades. Each decade brings a different perspective on life. It has not been a smooth journey, but I have weathered many storms with family support, faith, and hope. Today, I look backward to pause and reflect. I restyled one of Linda Mitchell's clunker exchange lines, "You listening/my face deep in shadowed spaces", to embed in the following free verse poem.

When the moon's soft light

shines through an inked sky,

I pause to reflect.

My face deep in

shadowed spaces releases

troubling thoughts to

float in celestial silence.

Are you listening?

I wait on the Lord

for guidance.

@CVarsalona, 2024

The following inspirational quote from Henri Nouwen guided me as I worked on the June prompt for the Spiritual Journey Community, thanks to our host, Karen Eastlund.

"The spiritual life is not a life before, after, or beyond our everday existense. No, the spiritual life can only be real when it is lived in the midst of pains and joys of the here and now."

A Backward Look

On January 4, 2024, I announced my one word, pause. Initially, I retraced my steps to determine how to slow down my life. From late January to February, I developed a sinus/respiratory issue. By the time April arrived, I was scheduled for hernia surgery. I tried to breathe in the essence of spring to calm my spirit. Then, several more medical findings caused more unexpected stress. Two rare hernias were found. The first surgery led to a knick in the bladder which meant a repair surgery was needed.

A simple surgery ended with a complication and an ICU stay. Shortly after the second surgery, I was moved to the medical wing where three more infections occurred. One was contagious so I was isolated. Two and a half weeks later, I was discharged with a Foley Catheter and home health care. Needless to say, I am exhausted by the experience but I realize that trust in the Lord, self-care, and a positive attitude are important.

Thank you, Karen, for offering a prompt, look into the past for something that has shaped or inspired our current spiritual practice or outlook, that lets me intentionally pause and reflect on my spiritual journey. No matter how challenging my journey  has been lately, it encourages me to: 

1. Get stronger through walks and simple exercises.
2. Review my past to approach everyday life with a new mindset.
3. Continue believing in the power of God, faith, medicine, and hope.         

Below is an inspirational Bible verse that seems meant for me. 

I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. - Psalm 32:8

A Winter Pause

As winter moves on, it finds a cozy corner to snuggle while temperatures in Virginia move from extremely cold to a high of 46 degrees, making it feel like spring (until the wind starts blowing). I pause each day either bundled up in layers, splashing under the pounding rainstorms, scraping beautifully etched snow drops off my car, or pretending that spring is coming. I sit by the fireplace wrapped in a throw and find a couple of minutes to ponder why I feel the need to perpetually move.

Finding Winter Pause Moments

time

moves incessantly

warranting a pause

intentionally meant for slowdown

moments

©CVarsalona, January 2024

quietude

indulges in

stillness as dusk

offers reflective paused moments

calmness

©CVarsalona, January 2024

winter

trees swirl

shooting into sky

as sentinels of serenity

pause

 ©CVarsalona, January 2024

With my one word, pause, I am intentionally searching for quiet moments to bring the gift of the slowdown.

Photos are from Long Island before I moved and Northern Virginia.

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Time is creeping onward to the midnight opening of Poetry Friday. I am ready to pause and enjoy the Poetry Friday Roundup with Tracey Kiff-Judson's blog. Click here to read interesting information on the game of Monopoly. 

Poetry Friday

Spiritual Journey-One Word 2024

This morning a quiet sensation flowed through the chilled wind. Winter announced its arrival with freezing temperatures and icy crystals that decorated my car windows. I felt the push-pull of Nature reminding me to to breathe in winter's frosty breath and feel replenished. As I swept crystals off the car windows, stillness surrounded the grayish morning. Awed by the magic of the winter scene, I listened to the sounds of quietude, finding peace within. 

move slowly on

winter's frosty path-step back

just be and pause

witness small moments

reflect, renew, replenish

breathe in stillness

pause intentionally

breathe in earth's quiet stillness

with verve

©CVarsalona, 2024

Happily, I went to yoga where I heard a mantra that sparked a plan. "A New Year, a New You!" This solidified my intent to find one little word that would enhance last year's guiding word, Be.  

Have you thought about pausing to witness quiet moments? It is the mindful, intentional pause that allows us to focus on, and be engaged in the moment not the hustle and bustle of life's to-dos. I have spent years as an educator and educational leader studying the art of mindfulness. Today, while scurrying to yoga class, I solidified my intent to find one little word that would enhance last year's guiding word, Be. I decided to cultivate mindfulness with an intentional pause each day. 

inhale

one word

stillness announces

my hope-filled wish

pause

©CVarsalona, 2024

While researching how to practice the pause, I found a quote from Eckhart Tolle: "In today’s rush we all think too much, seek too much, want too much, and forget about the joy of just Being." My one word, "Be", guided me last year. Adding an intentional pause this year will strengthen my spiritual walk. I hope you will join me as I pause, reflect, and renew my spirit throughout 2024. May the magic of winter also encourage you to pause and witness quiet moments?

🌲🌲🌲

I  look forward to joining the Spiritual Journey community hosted by teacher/author/poet Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche.

Here, I will find poetic goodness and spiritual enrichment flowing. 

 Logo designed by Margaret Simon