{"id":20493,"date":"2024-02-07T00:44:45","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T07:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/?p=20493"},"modified":"2024-02-05T14:46:07","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T21:46:07","slug":"three-months-adapting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/07\/three-months-adapting\/","title":{"rendered":"THREE MONTHS ADAPTING"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY JOELLEN COLLINS<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
JoEllen Collins\u2014a longtime resident of the Wood River Valley\u2014is a teacher, writer, fabric artist, choir member and unabashedly proud grandma known as \u201cBibi Jo.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is a phase in any move where one must adjust to new circumstances.\u00a0Even too many POSITIVE changes in a short time can cause stress, in spite of\u00a0one being excited with the new. I imagined that my relocation would be easier than it has been, but with some tweaks, at just three months, I find myself smiling a lot, laughing often, meeting new people, and getting involved in a bit more of the world outside my residence. I smile when I remind others that I arrived in Walnut Creek the night before Halloween, without a broomstick.\u00a0\u00a0As silly as that thought is, I have discovered that acknowledging my own personality and qualities has been just fine. I am not competing with anyone or fearing that if I give out a compliment, someone will think I\u2019m just insecure and flattering. I just do what I feel is right for me.
\nI recognize my flaws: I know I talk too much, I am compelled to make mild jokes, and I probably comment too often on things I notice around me, especially sweet events, good conversations, engaging books, and our very accommodating staff.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe no one needs to hear me effuse about the food, someone\u2019s new haircut or the pleasure of meeting new people.\u00a0Obviously, this behavior is inbred but also serves to mask some of my sadness at not being close to my former neighbors and events in the Wood River Valley.
\nI do miss my former life, but because I am hopelessly possessed of a cheery attitude, I believe I notice lovely things almost every day. My dog Suki, music, literature, good television, and healthy activities are accessible, but so is peace and quiet. I am learning to enjoy this weather and many short but beautiful walks.\u00a0This morning, right outside my window, were two daffodils blooming, with others ready to pop. I appreciate seeing this bright yellow delight even in winter.
\nSo little things have taken on larger meanings, encouraging me to be more aware of the everyday events that nourish us.\u00a0The server in the dining hall who loves\u00a0to\u00a0sing as he greets us is a happy example. He\u2019s not asking for a tip (servers are salaried here) but expressing his delight at a new day and the people around him.
\nMany of my recent acquaintances have grievous physical ailments but manage their lives in admirable ways. It doesn\u2019t hurt and makes me happy to greet them, the attentive staff, and others with a \u201cHello\u201d or \u201cGoodnight\u201d and mean it. That\u2019s daily reinforcement of my gratitude for being here and now.\u00a0\u00a0If I lose my dog, receive bad news about friends and family and acquire some afflictions, I will still try to remember how I have been blessed.
\nIn a letter to a suffering friend, the poet Keats said, \u201cThank heaven for what happiness you have, and after thinking a moment or two that you suffer with all mankind, hold it not a sin to regain your cheerfulness.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY JOELLEN COLLINS There is a phase in any move where one must adjust to new circumstances.\u00a0Even too many POSITIVE changes in a short time can cause stress, in spite of\u00a0one being excited with the new. I imagined that my relocation would be easier than it has been, but with some tweaks, at just three […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16827,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","_pvb_checkbox_block_on_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20493","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-commentary","8":"category-on-lifes-terms"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20493"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20494,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20493\/revisions\/20494"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}