First Off

First off, thank you so much for all your sweet and supportive well-wishes for my new job!

All of your texts, calls, facebook posts, notes, and even a drop off of macaroons completely blessed me.

I had no idea just how not alone I am going into this new transition! 

So, besides being reminded afresh of community and how sweet it is, after my first week at my new job, I learned a little something.

And not just the expected learning curve about therapy sessions with the mentally ill, progress notes, case management, and treatment plans.

I found out that working hard makes off time so much sweeter.

Here's what we did with my first day off.

 

Just kidding!

I mean, that will be reality soon enough for days off, but not on the first day off that brought Chicago out of hibernation with its spring sun and 60 degree temperatures.

 

After the conservatory, we sat out in the sun on the Lincoln Park bridge, and there was a moment that I felt that sun-burning-through-the-jeans quintessential spring sensation.

You know what I'm talking about?
It was just for a moment, but it was there.

What was there even stronger was my awareness that I had walked those grounds of Lincoln Park so much last year in angst, trying to sort out my life in the midst of the significant health issues I was having.

To sit there, happy with my new job underway, was so gratifying.

It was a life-is-bittersweet burning through the senses kind of moment, when the remembrance of the bitter makes you still & quiet, and the taste of the sweet makes you glow from the inside out.