The Gift Of Time

A few years ago, the unbelievably craziest thing happened to me.
 
We had rented a ski house in Vermont with friends and as we were packing up on our last day there, I took it upon myself to do a final sweep of the house.  As I was completing my walk through on the hunt for any left behind snow boots, a favorite sweater or the text book someone brought, insisting they were going to study for their upcoming exam while we were away, I was stopped in my tracks when I proceeded to smack my hand on the bannister while rounding the corner heading up stairs.  
 
I have never felt pain like that in my life.
 
I thought I was going to vomit and pass out, and not necessarily in that order.
 
When I made it upstairs, I announced to the adults in the room that I thought I had just broken my hand.  Being experts in breakages for a variety of reasons, they replied with a you-can’t-break-a-hand-that-way. Regardless, I proceeded to wrap my hand in an ace bandage and keep it elevated to reduce the throbbing as we made the seven-hour trip back home.
 
By the next day, armed with the opinions of several other non-medical experts and one x-ray, I marched into the office of a hand specialist expecting to hear my hand was broken and it would need to be casted for about 4-6 weeks and then my life could go back to my normal.  Instead, I sat in the office and listened to the doctor and his assistant say, I had in fact broken my hand and the reason I broke it in such a ridiculous fashion was because I had a benign tumor growing in my bone that had severely weakened it, and it was just a matter of time before this had happened.  My hand needed to be casted for 8 weeks, followed by surgery to remove the tumor and have a bone graft put in its place.  4 weeks became 4 months in a matter of 4 minutes.  I thought I was going to vomit and pass out and not necessarily in that order.
 
Spring sports season was about to start, the Spring holidays were on the horizon and I was planning on hosting. 
 
I am an artist and a writer and a righty (guess which hand I broke?).
 
Life as I knew it was going to have to slow down and “get done” differently.
 
Because I was forced to sit around the house post-surgery (I wasn’t allowed to drive, exercise, or do much of anything), I had a lot of time to think.  Coincidentally, during all of this, we had already begun renovating our kitchen.  We ripped everything out—replaced cabinets, counters appliances—the whole thing.  I couldn’t cook anyway.  So, I sat analyzing my personal space; how the house looked and what would I change if I could? Finding myself in this unbelievably crazy situation gave me the time to focus on other things.
 
So why am I telling you this?
 
Because we are currently in an unbelievably crazy place in our lives and in our world.  We are being forced to slow down and reschedule our lives as we have known it.
 
So, maybe this is the gift of time you have been waiting for.  This is your opportunity to stop, look around, observe your surroundings and think.  Maybe you are ready for a spruce up.  It is Spring!!  Check out my ideas below for bringing in a little sunshine and happiness into your world.
 
Think Spring Room Décor ideas
 
Fresh Garden Ideas
 
Trending Spring Colors
 
By the way, we ended up ripping out built-ins in our den, rearranging furniture, and putting down a new floor.  Oh, and we repainted the entire house too.
 
Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Stay home.
 
Jessica
 
PS-If you try any of my suggestions, snap a picture and send it to me via email to jkmfienartphoto@gmail.com.  I’ll feature you on my website!