Out of the darkness comes light

Not many people know about this weird fascination I have, but since I have never been one for holding back on my personal life, why start now? I have a massive gravitation to trees. I find them very symbolic. In fact, the picture above is of the tattoo I plan to someday get; when I get the time money and balls to actually go through with it.

In fact, the logo for Good Karma is of a tree. Bonus points for those playing "who knows Amy best".

Why trees you ask? Trees have a strength unlike anything in nature. They have the ability to withstand disastrous wind, rain and snow and continue grow despite damage and stress.

It gains strength from it's roots and provides life sustaining goodness to all those around.

The symbol above is a Celtic interpretation from the tree of life. The Celtic tree of life symbol characterizes the harmony and balance of universe. Much like the goals of my family, motherhood and food blog.

Today, my family has needed strength and balance more than ever. The recent passing of my father in law has left a void, sorrow and imbalance in our hearts and minds. It has inevitably gotten me thinking of how to straighten out this tangled emotion. We have all agreed getting into a routine again is the healthiest approach.

With that, comes the need to refresh our daily lives and clean up the dust we have left behind. I haven't cooked, photographed or blogged in over a month. I haven't wanted to. Our house has been focused on each other, coping and getting through the day. Also, Spring seems to be having this massive tug of war with Winter in the Northeast and has not been winning.

But, we are entering a new stage. Spring is a symbol of rebirth. The trees awaken and show signs of life, the street cleaners come by and suck up all the dirt and debris left from the dead of Winter.

I am taking the warmth of the sun on my face, the birds chirping, and the bright green buds on my lawn as a motivator and happy place.

Everyone can use this time of year as a time to fill your glass with positive thoughts and cleansing rituals add balance and harmony. Whether you live in an urban apartment or a huge farm house in the country, now is the time to add Good Karma to your soul.

Open that closet door and pull out those boxes. Do you really need those old shoes? Who is really going to care about all those old papers when you pass on?

I have an eating plan too. All this change in my life has really heightened my awareness about practicing what I have been preaching. We need to take care of what we put into our bodies so that we can get the most out.

First up.. Get rid of the junk. Better snacks, lower sugar, lower fat. Healthy grains. Truthfully, it's not that bad right now, but the last few weeks have seen the introduction of quick fixes.. Sorry baby girl, the "POP!-tarts" may have to go..

Next, get organized on how to easily create foods on the weekend that can turn into fast fix healthy meals during the week. You can pre-cook a lot of food on the weekend and have it ready for the week. Grilled meats, veggies, brown rice, sauces, pasta.. salads. all done in a hour or so on Saturday and Voila! ready to serve on Wednesday.

Lastly, create more sustainable resources for my family.. Time to get my Green Thumb On!

If you have ways that you have done some reclaiming, ways that you have made some changes that have brought you a healthier outlook for Spring, or life, let me know...