The birds were abundant this morning. Singing, chirping, giving praise to Creator and celebrating the new hope of Spring, albeit a subtle season’s entrance in this Florida state.
We don’t get the dramatic visual changes many other places do at the turn of seasons, or much variation in weather either. The only dramatic seasons we know are Summer and “Hurricane.”
Yet, if you listen you can hear change. And if you look closely you will see it too, in its own humble way. Creation calls with song and bloom and breeze.
And where my life has been oblivious to distinct seasons outside, I have plenty made up for them internally. For all the winters I have missed in the way of sleet and snow, I have felt deeply in the freezing dark nights of soul, that seem to never miss their chances. Happiness hybernates while deeper joy fights to keep me covered like an old reliable winter coat. It is heavy with the history of faithfulness; survival. I wear it like armor through the day, I cling to it like a blanket through the night.
I brace myself with singing. I cry out like a baby bird, dependant. I wait for colors to return. I watch for the sun to shine. I close my eyes with the smallest dose of courage that gets me through the night. Morning has never failed to come.
Beauty of the bright variety is hard to notice in dark times, or even in a Florida Spring. So look harder, walk longer, get up earlier, dig deeper, count blessings, write things down…take pictures. Drink every drop of inspiration like medicine.
When you find beauty around you, cling to it and speak to yourself:
“All right. If there is still beauty in the world, there must be beauty somewhere in my world, too.”
After surviving many “winters,” most recently being a severe health challenge that I am still recovering from, I can assure you that Spring really does return in its time. Patience is the virtue of necessity. Embrace it.
As I sit on a backyard blanket, bare feet in grass, a plane overhead, clear skies above and blessings below, something hopeful is in the air. Maybe its just Hope itself.
I’ll take it.
Here’s to Spring!
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