The first day of spring passed me by this year.
It was my second day in the office at my new job in Austin. At the time only a week out from Holy Week, the most significant church season of the year, I had failed to notice the meteorological season.
But I definitely noticed the weather. My current commute stalls me each afternoon on a bridge that overlooks the Colorado River, which runs through downtown Austin. Every day, I drive the hilly, winding roads with my windows down, smelling the herb and floral scented air and catching parts of pedestrians’ conversations floating by on the breeze.
I watch people kayak and take long walks with friends. I hear the familiar beat of Latin traditional music blaring out of car windows. On weekends, I am serenaded by live music coming from restaurant patios.
I get home and sit in my living room or keep working for awhile at the dining room table, each room lit by the late afternoon sun coming in sideways through the mid-century windows.
This town is so beautiful and I am grateful. I desperately miss the diverse food scene in Houston (I’m sorry, Austin, your food just can’t compare). Of course, I also miss my friends, my old parishioners, and the sense of stability that comes with living in a place for awhile. And don’t get me wrong: there are some pretty significant social, racial, and economic issues here.
But I can say unequivocally that my soul needed this kind of access to natural beauty. It’s hard to believe I went so long without.
Even though I failed to mark its arrival, spring has sprung. Bluebonnets are everywhere and the afternoons are increasingly warm. My work life feels a bit like a runaway train, but I am hopeful. I am trying to savor the loveliness of these days.
Here’s what I’m vibing with these days
Wide leg jeans with flip flops: Y2K style made a comeback last year and is still chuggin’ along. I saw a pair of Old Navy flip flops the other day and was instantly nostalgic for the wide leg jeans and flip flops of my middle and high school days. So I bought both!
Girls5Eva: This comedy, produced by Tina Fey, had two seasons on Peacock before moving to Netflix for its third season. It follows a group of women who were part of a Spice Girls-style super group in the early aughts and have decided to make a comeback in middle age. The songs are catchy and hilarious.
The Balcones Escarpment: Austin sits on the fault line of a geological landmark called the Balcones Escarpment, which is responsible for the sudden change in landscape from piney woods to hill country in this part of the state. I’m doing some research on its origins in hopes that it can make its way into my Easter sermon. Read about it here.
ICYMI, I shared my thoughts on the Hot Priest for Cup of Jo a few weeks back.
What are you up to? What is making you happy? What are you vibing with these days?
