Life Lessons Learned During Spring

Spring is a a season of hope and new beginnings, a season of celebrations. It is a time of beauty as the world turns green, as trees bud and flowers bloom. I love spring and eagerly await its arrival--sometimes early, sometimes late-- but I know it will come. I look for signs of spring--the days getting longer, crocus poking through the snow, robins returning to build nests. As I see these signs of spring, I reflect. Here are a few of these life lessons I've learned during spring:

Anticipation enriches our lives. In spring I look forward to new beginnings. After a long winter of cold and snow, I can't wait to see the first blades of green grass and the crocus and hyacinths popping up in the garden. I'm look to the sky wishing for the April showers to wash away the dirt of winter (and bring the May flowers too). I look each day out into the backyard awaiting the return of the robins and other seasonal birds. I feel figety and excited because spring in all it's splendor has come.

The anticipation of spring brings joy because we anticipate new beginnings; it is a time of starting again and starting something new. Spring is a time we are filled with wonder and awe as the world around us regenerates with all its natural beauty. Pussy willows push forth, birds begin to sing, and the world comes alive. We anticipate the development of wonderful things in the natural world, and this anticipation rejuvenates our spirit. We feel alive.

Nurturing others is important. Every spring I am amazed by the hard work and dedication displayed by the robins in the backyard. Searching for the right materials for their nest, the mother and father work endlessly to build the perfect nest for their young. Once the eggs hatch, the young robins cheep endlessly, demanding constant attention and food. The parents respond, nurturing and protecting the young birds from predators and providing them with a constant supply of worms and other goodies to eat. The way the robins nurture their young reminds me of how we also need to take care of our children, seeing to their needs and protecting them. Our children are precious, and robins know this.

Hope is the cornerstone of our lives. In spring hope comes alive as we see new birth in the natural world, and hope is so important for all of us. Hope helps us to dream bigger dreams, hope feeds faith and spirituality, and hope provides us with reasons to grow and develop in our lives. Without hope, we have nothing and we feel empty. In life hope is essential; we need it to enrich our spirit and make us whole.

Everything serves a purpose. I'm not fond of bees that find their way into my garden as the spring flowers come out. Although I have not been stung by a bee, I still fear I could be, and so I stay out of their way.

Despite the fact I don't especiially like bees, I recognize they are important. When I look at the beautiful blooms on the apple trees in my neighbor's yard, I am glad the bees have come around because they pollenate the trees so the apples we'll grow, and then the deer wil come to eat the apples. Blooming pink and white, the blossoms on the apple tree are beautiful, as are the deer, and in their own way, the bees are great, too; without them, the world would not be quite so beautiful. Bees, as all parts of nature, serve a purpose and enrich our world.

Connections keep us strong. As the ice melts from the lakes and the rains comes, so does the slop and mud; that's ok because the water feeds the thirsty land and trees and nourishes the flowers so later they will bloom. All the elements are connected--dependent on each other. The ice and snow need the sun to melt, and the trees and flowers need the ice melt to survive. Ultimately, all the elements are connected and dependent on each other; one element relies on another to stay strong and flourish.

Connections keep people strong, too. Individuals cannot go through life alone. We need to reach out to each other, and suport each other. At times, differences divide us, but we need to recognize our similarities and discover ways to build connections to stay strong.

Ah spring, it is a blessing! Spring reflects basic truths in life. Take some time to enjoy the beauty of spring. Live and enjoy.