The coming of spring

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." ~Charles Dickens

Never has a quote fit a day more than today. While it's beautiful outside, it's rather chilly in the shade! 

I think it's safe to say, spring has arrived. Or one of them, at least. While there may only be four seasons recognized, all Kentuckians know there's more than four here. Spring itself has several versions here, bouncing those temps up and down until it well and truly arrives (for about a week) and then we hit summer.

That said, daffodils have arrived. So spring cannot be far behind!

Today, it definitely feels like spring. The sun is shining beautifully, a welcome visitor to the last few days of dreary rain. And yes, I know full well the need for rain. The daughter and granddaughter of farmers, I understand the importance all these play. 

But as a dog mom, I am thankful for the sun! I hope it dries up our mud a little. And as someone who needs more vitamin D, I'm happy to see it. Genuinely, it makes me happy.

As do the lovely little daffodils in my "garden." 

Anyone who knows me well knows I don't garden. That's a skill my brother posesses. I try, I really do. But whether it's distraction, lack of knowledge, or just a bad knack, plants don't seem to survive here. The only things I've successfully grown were orchids, but those eventually surrendered as well.

Instead, I just cheer on the little things that find their own way into my garden. A year or two ago, I noticed that suddenly the little bed was home to a small batch of daffodils. With no effort on my part, they've continued to reappear each year, pushing up through the dirt as the first signs of spring. In the coming months, my little day lilies and irises will also shine. All through no effort of my own. (It really is for the best if I leave them alone!) 

Eventually, the roses will bloom. For the sake of honesty, I do help them in the sense that I built a little trellis some years back. But beyond that, I let them grow.

There's a lesson in all that somewhere, I think. I'm sure there's several lessons in there, actually.

One I see is that spring is a symbol of rebirth. 

"Spring is far more than just a changing of seasons; it's a rebirth of the spirit." ~Toni Sorenson

Spring is a sign that life continues. We go through seasons, just as all of nature and life. Some of darkness, where we seem to be in hibernation. Some of life bursting forth. All of that is part of growth and life.

Even in the less literal sense. Life is full of changes. Life is full of learning and growing. It's adapting. As my husband used to say, "adapt and overcome." I'm sure it comes from a movie, but that's not the point.

The point is, we change. Everyone does. For if you aren't willing to grow and change, you become stagnant. 

There are seasons in life where you need to, perhaps. Seasons where you hibernate, such as winter. But you can't stay in winter forever. That's not where we were meant to live.

The birds in the trees and the flowers in the fields know this. You must turn your face toward the sun and welcome the growth. 

It's that growth that helps us become the person we were to be.

Besides, what is life without a little challenge?

Spring has arrived. So burst forth and grow.