AWAKENING TO THE SPRING OF LIFE

“We cannot stop the winter or summer from coming. We cannot stop the spring or the fall or stop them from being other than they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives.” Gary Zukav

What does spring mean to you? How do you change your life in the spring? How do you enliven your life or your community at this time of year?

Spring is about new life. Each year it awakens in many ways, distracting us from the winter blahs with flowers we haven’t seen for a year springing to life. Yesterday as I walked through the botanical gardens with a friend, trillium, buttercups, trout lily and a dozen colorful flowers peeked through the brown leaves that had blanketed the ground all winter.

In my yard, the grape hyacinths and forsythia are appearing and the trees are sprouting red, brown, and green buds. On my table sits a green glass vase filled with tangerine and yellow tulips almost ready to open. I saw them at the grocery and could not resist taking them home.

Spring Offers Us New Life

Nature opens her door and says, “Come on out. Smell that freshly cut grass, those tantalizing fragrances, and feel that warm breeze. Life is here again.” While spring draws me outside, spring fever often slows me down and into a dream state where I can still smell the thick sweet grass I used to sleep in as a child.

There is so much beauty in the spring; yet much of life is a violation of what is natural. The wars, the contentious politics, the suffering and pain of so many people in the world remind us that human life no longer lives by what is natural. The world is driven not by natural cycles but by the greed for power and money.

What Good Seeds Can We Plant In Our Lives

All winter, seeds and bulbs lay in the cold earth, waiting for the time when they are nourished by the spring sun and rain, regaining their strength to grow again into something beautiful. What has been gestating within us all winter? How could we become a part of the natural cycle and birth something positive and beautiful this spring? Is there enough love growing within us to recreate our world?

Gary Zukav reminds us that we “can choose what we contribute to life” during this season of rebirth. When we look around us, what do we see in the gaps between the sunlight and flowering gardens. Do we see the homeless, the hungry, or the lost? What about the conflicts in our lives?

What creative work have we neglected? This spring has reminded me of all the poems that lie on my desk waiting to be published because many of them have been inspired by the seasons. I realize it is time to sow the seeds I’ve already gathered in the creation of these poems. It is time to share them with others and maybe touch a heart or two that needs some inspiration.

We Can Contribute Peace and Find Common Ground

When we look beyond our lives, we may feel stymied by how to stop the wars in the Middle East, but we can find ways to stop the conflicts in our own lives. What kind of treaties are we willing to sign in order to create peace? We may need to let go of our need to be right or for the other person to agree with our political or religious beliefs. We may need to search for common ground.

For many years, on Christmas, my family gathered around the television to watch a ball game after an early dinner. It was a tradition, but I could only tolerate the game about 15 minutes before I escaped to another room and read a book. I just never cared for sports except for ice skating.

Among the members of the family were three dogs, and one year after dinner my sister-in-law suggested we take the dogs to the dog park and her grandchildren to the park next to it to play. Two of the men stayed behind to watch the game but the rest of us had a wonderful time at the dog park. Not being a dog owner, I became fascinated and very entertained by the dogs’ behavior. We all laughed a lot and this became the new tradition, one that, at least, brought most of us together.

This story about my family may seem trite, but it isn’t. We are at opposite ends of the political spectrum and our religious beliefs are also very different. We have to make an effort to connect in those areas and interests that we have in common. But that’s what we all need to do when we encounter those who are different from us. If we all focused on how we are alike rather than our differences, we could solve many problems.

Find Peace in the Spring of Your Life

So, the question during this spring season is what can we do to enliven our lives and the lives of those around us? If we want to change the world, the change begins at home. If you spent more time with nature watching the birds, observing new flowers, walking through the forest, would that bring you more peace? Could you shift a relationship to new height by having the courage to talk about how you really feel or share one of those peaceful walks with that person?

Can you offer a loving ear to a neglected child or suffering parent? Are you willing to study carefully the candidates in the next election to be sure your vote counts and supports someone who will improve the lives of those who elect them? Are you willing to help an older neighbor take care of their lawn or get groceries?

Love Can Awaken the Spring of Your Life

And what do you need to do for yourself? Are you willing to do what you need to do to create the peace within that will heal wounds and elevate your soul? Loving yourself is at the root of it all. Sharing that love with others in whatever way we can uplifts all our energy. Spring is the time when we need to crawl out of our winter cocoons and open ourselves to the beauty of life.

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