You’d think that living up in the nordic country of Sweden, the January storm I’d be talking about would be a giant snowstorm. But, that’s not the type of storm we had here. The east coast of the United States got that. The storm that we had here, named Malik (I think), was a wild, blustery storm of high winds and frozen, rainy precip that caused havoc in a few places. In my little space, everything was fine, thank goodness. But, I will admit that the high winds coupled with the fact that we live on the (approx.) 10th floor with tons of windows made me a bit uneasy as the winds howled and rushed and swirled around the building and on our balcony.
Of course, it didn’t storm all week long. It was just the last half of the week. And, I’ve the only one calling it a “great wind storm”, but, more than just the mere fact that the weather was a bit wild, it was the energy that I felt in this storm as it raged on that made it such a big deal.
Let me explain, as I take you through “The week that was the great wind storm”…
The week started off fairly normal, though it was our first week of really getting back into the routines of everyday life.
I got out and did a few errands on Tuesday. Mostly got some stuff that our cat, Zola, needed. Buuuut, I had also ordered something to pick up at a store which I was super excited about. You see, there’s this person I follow on Instagram and she shared a Story with a link to a bathtub she has in her bathroom. It’s one that is “portable” and I’ve seen her using it so often and it looks so relaxing. Now, y’all. I haven’t had a bathtub in a bathroom since I don’t know when and I miss it so much. So, I ordered one of those babies!
And I proudly crammed it in my car, walked through my neighborhood, squeezed in the elevator, and brought it home! I haven’t used it yet. But, my premier bath will be tomorrow night (Tuesday) under the new moon and on Imbolc eve. It will be a full on relaxing, reflecting, and resting ritual for welcoming the shifting of the seasons and the turning of the wheel. And I cannot wait!
I may not have taken my first bath on the night I got us our own, little bathtub, but I did decide that Lina + I needed to get out and visit our little bar down the street for a little “self care”. We’ve still been staying home (minus my errand yesterday) since Covid is still spreading like crazy. But, right after Lina was done with work, we walked to the bar to enjoy some drinks + pizza. But, even more than that, to spend time taking care of our souls by doing a little regular life stuff – and we got to see one of our favorite bartenders. We went on Tuesday before 5, knowing that there wouldn’t be many people there – so it also felt super safe.
By Wednesday, the weather started to turn. It was dark + rainy outside, but cozy as could be inside. I did my best to create calm, slow vibes while I did chores, cleaned, took care of some business, and continued to plan and dream and slowly allow 2022 to begin to unfold. At the same time, there was the pandemic, all kinds of stress + emotions about not being near my family in the States during a transitional time in their lives, and just the balance of settling back into regular life.
Then, the weekend was upon us. Friday night the wind picked up. I moved in the outdoor furniture again and hunkered down for the next few days. Nothing but rest, good food, and cozy moments while the rain pummelled our windows and the wind howled.
On Sunday, the clouds shifted back and forth from white, puffy cotton balls and wisps with blue sky to dark gray, heavy ones with flurries and light snow. The weather changed every 5 minutes, I think. But, it was cold and blustery the whole time. Like really, really blustery. Lina + I hopped in the car, filled our thermoses with coffee, and headed to Lina’s parents to deliver a package for her mom’s birthday. We didn’t go in. Just rang the doorbell, sang Happy Birthday (but the Swedish song for birthdays), and then went ’round back to chat for about 15 minutes – we were outside in the sunroom, her parents in the house.
After we left, we decided to drive around a bit… just to be out and about, even if the wind kept whipping. We ended up by the bay that leads out to the Baltic Sea. And, the sight of the water + waves being tossed around by the wind is what inspired my thoughts about how this week was all about the January storm.
You see, I cannot help but think that these Great Winds that we have had for the past 3 days are bringing about something new.
I feel it in my bones.
I laid in bed last night, writing and planning for the week ahead, and I just knew that he raging, powerful, frightening, purifying, howling wind has been forcing out the old + ushering in a change. Of that I’m certain.
I know that we are at the end of January, that there is a new moon today, and that the wheel of the year turns on Tuesday as we celebrate Imbolc. The seasons are shifting. The energy is changing. A new chapter is waiting to begin. But, I know no more than that.
So, as I closed out this week, I let the howling and creaking and rattling and flapping the wind that moved everything around outside, to also blow through me. Inside, I’m howling and creaking and rattling and flapping too. And I believe that something is being shaken loose from my soul.
There’s no reason to fight the Great Wind. Instead, it’s just to hold tight, breathe deep the breaths of change, and wait for the calm to return, knowing that something new is about to begin.
And that, my friends, was the great storm of the week that was. I cannot wait to see what this coming week brings…xoxo. liz.
