Awwww, the deep breath of relief that is SPRINGTIME! What a joy to walk outside in warm moist air to hear the glorious song of the birds! What magic to play in the garden again and greet all the little plant friends as they come out of hibernation. The Magnolia trees in my neighborhood just flew in and out of full bloom, sharing their intoxicating sweetness and magnificent unfurling; They take my breath away every year. Someday I will have a magnolia in my yard. The white flowering Dogwood in front of my house just started to blossom. 3 days ago we saw the first signs of it beginning to wake up with little leaves popping out and the tiny buds of soon-to-be flowers. Then just yesterday the flowers began to open. They first share themselves as a gorgeous lime green flower and in a few days they will transform into large white blooms that last for weeks.
This time of year in Central Pennsylvania is my absolute favorite. In a matter of a week or two the landscape goes from dreary and barren to explosive with color, texture and fragrance. After the flowering trees come the spring green leaves bursting with that bright color everywhere your eyes land. After the tulips, hyacinth, and daffodils come the rhododendrons, irises, and peonies and the shade loving hosta and ferns. Soon the azaleas and lilacs. The medicinal “weeds” have returned in full force with the golden rays of sunshine that are the dandelions, the deep purple magic carpet in nearly every lawn bursting with violets. Then there are the blessedly nourishing nettles, and the shade loving chickweed and sticky creeping cleavers.
Have you let yourself be dazzled by the grand unfurling of Spring? Have you walked out into the silky warm air and breathed a soul sigh of relief for this new season of rebirth and transformation? Do you listen - really listen - to the birds… and the rain… and the wind and let yourself be carried away in their songs? I recommend that you do. What if simplicity and peace is where we will find the answers to all that we seek.
If we tap into the journey of the natural world around us we might find that it guides us toward parts of ourselves longing for a similar kind of transformation and expression of self. We might find ourselves being called into a space of clarity, finding a desire to clear out the weights we’ve carried physically/emotionally/spiritually and to start the process to relinquish the heavy in favor of lightness. We are naturally inspired to match the energies of the season. If we can give ourselves space to let those deeper yearnings be awakened and go with the flow, we start to experience the tremendous relief and inspiration that is Spring.
We are a childen of this Earth, just like the Dogwood and the Nettles. We too have crossed the threshold of winters hibernation and are being coaxed forward into sharing our unique blossoming, no holds barred. The flower doesn’t apologize for it’s magnificence, it simply does what it’s meant to do. May we get still enough, attentive enough, to open our eyes and hearts to the magic that lives in the ordinary. May we find the courage to share ourselves as unapologetically as the plants and trees do.
I am wishing you are brilliant and beautiful Spring, friends.