Bananas, Bluebonnets and Spring
FORWARD: SOCIABILITY was an online magazine dedicated to “Living Generously and Serving Joyfully.”
An idea born during the throes of Covid, Sociability came to life through my friendship with Tony Rutigliano. With he as the Publisher and me as Executive Editor, TOGETHER WE launched Sociability as a different kind of online magazine. We recruited friends, friends of friends, and strangers who became friends to write stories about their lives and TO serve on our board. Everyone was a volunteer. It was a magazine full of ways that people are kind to one another. OUR CONTRIBUTORS AND i SHARED stories of fresh air and dogs, looking back and looking ahead, loving people just as they are (including yourself), sharing one’s talents and enthusiasm with others, dads spending time with daughters, moms supporting one another, and baking really good cake. FOR ME, THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH OUR CONTRIBUTORS WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
THE MAGAZINE existed from November 2020 - May 2022. We still see little glimmers of its impact today, which says to us that Sociability lived a good life. That’s about the best thing you can say about someone or something when you say good-bye.
hERE’S ONE OF MY STORIES, ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR SOCIABILITY AND NOW RETURNED TO ME TO SHARE WITH YOU.
What are your favorite Texas Springtime traditions? There are so many great ones! Attending Easter services and egg hunts, planting colorful annuals, taking hikes without a coat, playing baseball, perusing yard sales, taking photos in a field of bluebonnets, wearing white shoes again (does anyone do this anymore?), and Sunday brunching on a restaurant patio.
Here’s a new one: on the first day of April, I always buy a bunch of bananas in honor of my Mom.
As an adult, my Mom wasn’t a particularly silly person. She loved funny movies, good storytelling, and clever jokes, but she had a formalness to her that didn’t lend itself to goofing around. Besides, Dad was in charge of all things goofball. Every April 1st, however, she summoned a hidden reservoir of silliness and channeled it into April Fool’s Day pranks.
You probably want to hear about all the amazing, YouTube-worthy stunts Mom pulled off. I’m sorry to tell you that’s not the case. Not being a jokester by nature, her pranks were pretty basic. She would come in my bedroom to wake me up for school and tell me that school had been canceled, but no it hadn’t, APRIL FOOLS! Or she’d tell Dad that her mom was coming to visit for four months, but no she isn’t, APRIL FOOLS! Mom was particularly fond of peeling off labels from bananas and with stealth precision, sticking them to our backs just as we were leaving the house. APRIL FOOLS!
Looking back, I like to think of Mom’s affinity for April Fool’s Day as a manifestation of Spring fever. Feeling carefree. An expression of silliness. Many psychologists recommend finding intentional, healthy ways to shake off winter gloom, and in 2021, I suspect they would urge us to redouble our efforts.
We’d like to offer one more thought about Spring 2021. If your wintertime blues refuse to be chased away and the idea of renewal seems unattainable, we understand. Perhaps you’re struggling to see positivity in the world, feel less optimistic and more solitary, and lack the energy to do things you know will make you feel better. These are all hallmarks of depression, and we urge you to seek help. If your employer offers an EAP program, that’s a great place to start. EAP programs operate confidentially and the first sessions are free. You can also consult your family physician for a referral, or call or visit 2-1-1 Texas to get connected to a variety of local services. As you think through how to find the right professional for you, here’s general a guide to finding a good therapist.