Hope SPRINGS Eternal

There is so much I could write about that would be negative: Nancy Pelosi, the Coronavirus, the Media (again), the overwhelming unemployment numbers. But instead, as we are in the midst of another Passover and Easter upon us this weekend, I decided I could only look at what inspires hope and rebirth this second Friday in April: Spring.

With Spring, we say good-bye to Winter, its cold and biting wind, its sometimes overwhelming ice and snowstorms. We begin to look forward to Summer, although once Christmas is done, I want 80* temperatures (at least) and I care not a wit about how high the humidity might be.

With Spring, we see the first signs of rebirth in that first crocus flower making its way through the mud, leaves or snow in the front garden. We see the buds on the poplar and dogwood trees, and on the azaleas and rhododendrons. As an aside, it has been said that Jesus was crucified on a Dogwood, hence the red bloodstains on the tip of each corner of each flower. Then, we see that first ray of hope, as the daffodil makes its way to the surface. Soon after, the tulips, carnations and roses decorate the garden, too.

With Spring, we can hear the sounds of children playing, in their yards or in the street. That sound is refreshing to your soul, knowing that the kids are riding bikes, playing some sort of ball game, and are no longer cooped up in their rooms or basements. Instead, they are showing us, again, how to enjoy the new life which the calendar has given us.

With Spring, we can also hear the sounds of the ice cream truck, as the driver rings the bells or replays that annoying little song that even parents run with dollars clutched in their fists to be first on line to get that pop or cone. It is that little reward we deserve after listening to the sounds of the power mower all day.

With Spring, we can hear the birds singing at 5:30 in the morning, as they welcome the early signs of daylight. The Canadian Geese, which began laying eggs along the Meadowbrook, or Northern State, or on most grassy areas near your home in December, are now seen standing guard around their hatchlings, protecting them from man and beast alike.

With Spring, we can feel the last vestiges of Winter have finally gone away, replaced with windy days and rain, rather than with howling winds and snow, but also with temperatures increasingly climbing toward that 80* I mentioned before. For now, the mid 60s and 70* feel wonderful.

With Spring, the evidence of longer days with more hours of sunlight begin to make its mark, as there are more grills being fired up, as the “chef of the house” makes his or her favorite meals outside with a cold brew in hand, rather than in the kitchen with the kids screaming and the TV blaring.

With Spring, the possibility of a walk around the block is greater, since the sun is setting well after 7 PM rather that at 5. You even enjoy walking the dog or pulling the wagon filled with kids because you tell yourself you are “getting in shape” after sitting in the house all Winter long.

And, finally, with Spring, you know that time is on your side, you are not just twisting the night away, and it’s getting better all the time. Now that you are singing each song, are you hooked on a feeling?

I AM!