Spring in the closet?

Written by Kelly Epperson

I just read a lively article about spring, gardening, and bright colors. The author wrote in poetic prose her love of the surprise of brilliant hues that appear as spring shakes off winter, sometimes seemingly overnight.

The writer concluded her ode to spring by stating she was donning her brightest clothes and was off to the market. Her story, the sunshine today, and our warm-for-this-time-of-year temps, infected me with a bit of spring fever.

I walked around my property (the word "property" sounds more impressive than "yard") and wondered what surprises await me. This will be the first spring in our home in the woods, and I'm not sure what will bloom or where.

As much as I love the mystery of trees, I also want a bit of splashy color throughout the grounds.

I decided to don some bright colors and go off to the market too. ("Market" sounds more fun than "grocery store.")

My closet laughed at me. The majority of my wardrobe is black. Black is slimming. Black is stylish. Black is always in fashion. Black is …… black.

As much I adore my clothes, I wanted something bright today. It was slim pickings. My sweater selection is many types of various blacks, two whites, and one pink. I have a few colorful tops but they were too thin for today.

The garden of my closet was definitely lacking in brilliant hues. If the author of that spring garden article were to write about my closet, she would insinuate that either I was in mourning or I thought I was living in Paris.

Black may be a wardrobe staple, but it's time to liven things up a bit. When I survey the colorful clothing that I do own, I realize it was purchased during these recent years when I started "coming alive."

No matter what my age may be, I am in the springtime of my life. I have been surprised by the brilliant hues of love, light, and energy that fill my life now. What the heck, my clothes may as well reflect it. If I feel lighter, I can wear sunnier colors.

Now I understand why some women started the red hat society. We reach a point in life when it simply is fun and feels good to wear vibrant stuff.

What's going on in your closet? Have you taken inventory lately? Do you just throw on the same old stuff every week without really thinking about it? When is the last time you put on an outfit and thought to yourself, "I love this"?

In my Joy Beyond Your Dreams life mastery program, one of the assignments is to let go of clothes that no longer fit. I realize now that I do not just mean size. Some clothes no longer fit our personality.

As I continually weed out my closet and get rid of the old, I will replace with tops that feel fresh, lively, and springy. Color. Personality. Verve. Budding. Awakening. Growing.

What about you? Ready to try on some color?

Spring, and life, is indeed a surprise of brilliant hues.