Spring
Posted by Nancy Burnett on Friday, May 23, 2025
Spring is here — my favorite time of year. I welcome the sound of chattering birds and the newly sprouted greenery of the trees. My flower beds move forward through the days just as life itself moves forward. My crocus are replaced by daffodils and then tulips and hyacinths. The roses sprout new growth on brown stems, allowing them to burst into June in full bloom. The grass awakens and will soon need mowing, and just as all the hopes of new growth—new beginnings — emerge, so do the weeds reminding us that even in nature not everything is perfect.
Nature is predictable in an unpredictable way. Warm, sunny days may be followed by rain and storms — some severe — some testing our ability to recover. Our daily lives are just as predictable as the weather; change is inevitable. We suffer through storms and loss but emerge to continue on a daily path to find the road ahead— to greet each new beginning with hope. When chaos seemingly surrounds us, we welcome the internal signs of spring. We prepare for the dark days but know they do not last forever.
The proverb “Hope springs eternal” comes from Alexander Pope’s 1732 poem, “An Essay on Man.” The quote expresses the fact that hope is an enduring human trait.
Life is filled with challenges, but it is hope that allows us to awaken each new day knowing that we can make a difference in the world — that we are important — that we can choose to alter the course of chaos and uncertainty by reaching out to others and together repairing injustices — by moving forward together strong in our convictions and buoyed by shared hope.
Meanwhile, I look forward to the days of sunshine and warmth knowing that the rain is inevitable and necessary for the bounty which we each enjoy. The rainy days make us more appreciative of cloudless days and allow us to more fully appreciate all of life’s little pleasures.
Hope springs eternal and propels us through the dark days. Just as the rain feeds the soil, so hope feeds our soul. Let the sunshine and the feeling of hope prevail and find its way into each of our lives and hearts.