A New Season

Every day for the past several weeks I've looked expectantly up at the trees on my block, looking for any signs of buds. Earlier in March there was the promise of spring, when warm temperatures perfumed the air, and doors and windows were wide open, down coats were off, everyone was outside, walking, running, biking, shaking off the winter blues and breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Then we've been in a very strange weather pattern of sameness. Very similar to the Bill Murray "Groundhogs Day" film where every day is the same, that's been the last few weeks of March...though every day felt like mid January!

Blue skies and the slant of spring sun on the earth, though lifeless trees, dried dead leaves and frigid air with rain, sleet, hail, and last week a forecast for snow. I'm ashamed to say I have not held up my end of my promise to myself to not complain about winter temperatures (yes, I know I don't live in California anymore but I am very much a warm weather person). In March, I was a bit grumbly....

Even the birds on my block who had returned from winter break and happily singing earlier in March were silent, or perhaps left for the south again. "Well, who can blame them?" I thought last week, in my gloves, scarf and puffy down coat.

Several people I know are going through a season of winter in their lives. Being out of work, family illness, financial stress, heartache, losing a best friend unexpectedly. And for some, nothing terribly tragic, but the dull flatness of a perpetual Groundhogs Day, and the not knowing when (or if) things will ever get better.

So this is the essence of faith. Somehow believing - without any empirical evidence whatsoever - that things can turn around. That spring will actually arrive.

This morning I went out quite early to buy coffee (I actually bought a bag of coffee last night but in my post yoga class bliss, accidentally left it on the counter). So woke up early and bundled up to go outside and suddenly felt and smelled warm, soft air. As I padded up the street I heard of joyful chorus of birds in full song, greeting the day. And then I looked up and saw the miracle of the season - first buds.

Spring!

Thank God.