Spring starts March 20th this year and that means the flowers are going to be blooming, the insect population will come back to life, and so many other things will occur so very rapidly. Aside from all the things that happen during spring time, what does it mean to you as an individual? It could mean that you have to start planning your garden, doing some spring cleaning, or figuring out what you’re going to do for spring break. I’d like you to take a moment to think about what it does mean to you and then I shall tell you what spring means to me.
The best example of what spring is can be shown through the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who described spring as “bursting upon the world like a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers”. From this perspective, spring is the happy child of the seasons. Spring is happy, warm, and full of beautiful flowers. Another quote from Longfellow helped show that it’s full of life, whether that be the birds or the insects such as ladybugs, bees, butterflies, etc. He said “came the Spring, with all its splendor. All its birds and all its blossoms. All its flowers, and leaves, and grasses.” I say it’s a time to embrace your inner hippie and shed those shoes, put on some comfortable clothes, and just enjoy the world around you.
Another way to view spring is from Mark Twain who said “it’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t know what you want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” This is a way of expressing that need for something new in spring time; you’re not sure what it is that you want, but you know something is needed or missing. You may decide to rearrange your room, get a new wardrobe, start a garden, ditch a bad habit, or maybe even pick up a good one. For me that want is to constantly be outside basking in the sun, feeling the cool breeze through my hair, and just enjoying the sounds of nature. I might choose to go for a walk in the woods, lay under a tree and read, or just lay out in the grass all day with my furry kids and remember what it feels like to be happy and content with our lives.
I leave you with this quote from Robin Williams: “spring is life’s way of saying ‘let’s party’”. So spend this spring celebrating life and counting your so many blessings that the world has given you. Start a garden, join a fun club, start walking at the park; do whatever makes you happy, and remember why it is that you’re alive. Maybe you’ll find your purpose or simply learn to love life a bit more, but I wish you all the best. Till next time, stay safe and know that you’re loved.