We made it, y'all. Through winter's tight grip and the tumultuous wind and wreckage that accompanies spring, we've made it into May. Right up there with my other favorite month of October, this month feels like a breath of fresh air. Summer's heat hasn't moved in yet, yard-mowing therapy is upon us (that's what it is for me, anyway), grills are ready to be fired up for weekend cookouts, ball fields and farm fields are abuzz with excited kids (both young and old), and the world feels happy.

Some seasons require deep thought and intention to find joy, both in nature and life. This prerequisite month to the entrance of summer is easier on the heart and mind, though. With the longer days and warmer temps this time of year, I enjoy taking our dogs for a walk after supper. We're up to seven, which is probably considered a pack, but no matter what you call it (even if you call it crazy), these pup-powered trips up our farm lane have become a soul-filling nightcap to my days.

Somehow, overnight, toddlers became teenagers, and "Mom" isn't needed as much as she once was. Enter our "dog pack" -- that actually does feel more needy than toddlers on any given day, but I digress. These nightly walks ground me and often help me see what I've been missing all along.

The moral of this short story is this: Take your joy where it can be found (hint: It might be disguised as a sunset stroll, a porch swing siesta or a phone call with a friend). Our circumstances may not always be wrapped up with contentment, but I promise you that life itself is a gift, and I challenge you to take time this month to find the natural rewards of living it.

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Meredith Bernard documents rural life, walks dogs and tends to farm and family from North Carolina. Follow her on social media @thisfarmwife and visit her website at https://thisfarmwife.com/...