If you ever get the chance to make the choice to live around the 45th Parallel, you will REALLY learn to appreciate summer. Being outside, smelling the air, hearing the waves on the beach nearby. Humming to nature. There’s nothing anywhere else in the country that equals the beauty here in the Traverse City area.

Summer Do’s

In summer, life seems to speed up but the change of pace is because our focus goes from inner (where it’s slower) to outer (where movement and choices make time pass quicker). The summertime is where the yes’s to the opportunities of life we chose during the inward journey of winter begin to prove themselves worthy, or not, of our time and energy.

Winter Choices

During the winter you’ve been planning your wedding, taking an inner journey as you feel into what you want your day to look like. You will say yes to some things, and in that you are saying no to other equally good alternatives.

The fruit of your labors are coming soon. In the warm months ahead, and on the day you are finally married to your best friend, you are going to be taking all that inner work and forging into the outer acknowledgement of your inner commitment. Unfolding that commitment will continue for a lifetime.

Make the Choice and the future will unfold as it will

I’ve been busy too, and in ways I hope will help you and future couples have a better experience of finding an officiant and planning your ceremony. For example, I had my website migrated. It was being actively hacked so I had to transfer everything to a new secure server. Not a choice I wanted to make, rather expensive, but necessary for future contacts and opportunities.

At the same time I created a new branch of Northern Michigan Wedding Officiants. The name for this service is in the works but it is directed towards those who have been asked to officiate for a family or friend. I have several levels of officiant coaching services for nonprofessional marry-ers available. I can worry that no one will be interested in this service, but I hear about non-professional officiants doing a poor job and I want to help.

I also tended to an ailing 16-year old member of my 4-legged family and ultimately had to let him go to the other side of life. Making the choice to end the life of someone you love is the worst decision ever. But I had to say to no his suffering so he could leave his failing body and say yes remembering how much we loved each other. I chose to believe someday he’ll find me when I too enter into new life over the rainbow bridge.

I haven’t exactly hibernated.

Next Best Course of Action

This winter I have been looking within my heart to get insights into what’s the next best course of action for me and for my work with so many wonderful couples. When there are so many competing desires and projects, what will contribute to my overall well-being can get crowded out by having too many options? Saying yes to too much means I spread myself thin inwardly and outwardly, and not much gets accomplished. Have you ever been there?

Putting feet on my vision is the task which means I say yes to some opportunities, and no, or at least NOT now, to others. Eventually a no can turn into a yes, but as we identify what matters most to us, other things have to go to the wayside.

The kicker is it is often not until hindsight that we know if the choice we made was the best one.

But you have to make the choice. We can weigh options way too long. And we just worry. Fuss over things we have no control over. Good news, however! We can’t make a mistake because everything we do helps us learn.

Everything? Really?

I know, you probably hate to hear that especially if you are in between a rock and a hard place right now. But it’s true. Sooner or later you will learn something from every choice you make. Well, I guess you could just complain and get stuck. That too is a choice you make.

Sifting Through the Results

But honestly, whatever choice we make helps learn and grow. In the pile of inner ideas and outer results strewn around us, we always can find gems which we use when we face the next choice. And rest assured, the next choice will always come. So make it, and see what happens. Experiment. Don’t worry — this is a bad use of our imagination. (That’s another post later). Life is about learning and enjoying the journey.

Lucky you, for you have found the person you want to take that journey with.

Happy, abundantly blessed Spring. everyone. And happy choices.