The Rites of Spring

It’s that time of year again – thank God.

Spring.

Not that this past Winter was that awful, because it really wasn’t. Oh, there were some cold days and weeks sprinkled in, but for the most part it was fairly decent.

Now, of course it makes a difference on WHERE you spend your Winter. I live in Colorado, where it’s higher altitude and definitely north of Florida and Arizona and California. The folks who live down there – by and large – usually have reasonably pleasant Winters.

I can attest to California, having lived there for close to a year and witnessed my ONLY Winter without snow. Or even much in the way of cold. No, it was just a littler wetter and greener than the rest of the year in that California Winter I experienced.

That was about it.

It makes me wonder if Californians and Floridians and Arizonans really even notice the change of seasons. Except for beginning to dread the coming intense heat of Summer.

Colorado Winters DO make one long for Spring to return. OK, not as much as my home state of Iowa, or Minnesota, or Wisconsin, or Michigan, or etc., etc. etc…

I know the longing for Spring is much more intense in those places.

But April in Colorado is back again, and even though the first day of Spring officially arrived in March, I always regard April as the month when Spring truly returns.

I sit in my lawn chair on a warm, sunny afternoon and look around me and notice the tiny flowers beginning to poke through my still somewhat brownish lawn – though it's getting greener day by day. 

Believe it or not, I’m actually looking forward to mowing again!

And my Sweet Wife is doing her annual Spring thing: nurturing flower and vegetable seeds into life with plans for another delightful Summer garden in her mind.

And mine.

Watching her tend those fragile baby plants is truly a joy to behold. And it amazes me to think that they – hopefully – will yield glorious blossoms and delicious vegetables come Summer.

That’s the way it unfolded last year, and it was wonderful. I can only hope history will repeat itself and some hailstorm won’t suddenly come along and destroy all the hard work she puts into it.

I lovingly watch her, knowing she is battling cancer and her prognosis – as with all who are in that same boat – is very uncertain. But taking care of her little garden – and the hope and optimism that goes with it – is one of the best medicines she can have.

When I was younger, I enjoyed the return of Spring -- but now realize how much I took it for granted. When you’re in the prime of your life, you just expect many more Springs to come again as time slips by.

But now that I am in my 70s, I have a much different appreciation of Spring.

I’ve reached that point in life when I really have no idea how many more Springs I can look forward to.

Or if this one might be my last.

So I try to embrace each day of this precious season – as we ALL should do EVERY day.

But Spring – sweet, fragrant Spring – is such an especially beautiful and optimistic time. 

May it always be so.