Spring Has Sprung!

To say that we have had a long winter here in the North East would be an understatement.  This is the first time in my memory where it is hard to believe that there will not be one more cold blast coming through.  It has been that kind of year.  In fact, it amazes me that the term “artic vortex” needed to be created to help explain the excess coldness.  As we were busy cleaning the house this weekend and preparing for the upcoming holiday, we realized that spring has definitely sprung!

The springtime holiday season offers plenty of symbolisms of hope and renewal.  In the northern hemisphere, the world around us seems to reflect this feeling.  We have a tree on the front corner of our house that blooms for a short period once a year.  I noticed today that the buds were ready to open.  Once the tree blooms, it is a thing of beauty, but in a few days, the flowers are gone, not to return until the next year.  We notice that things around town come to life, almost as if everyone is waking up from their hibernation.  

Maybe, this time of the year, the spring-cleaning, should not be only about cleaning out the house.  Look, in January, we set our goals for the year.  Many of those, a mere 4 months later, have been discarded or forgotten.  Some of the goals we have put aside because we have some “things to work through” before we tackle our goals.  Now would be an appropriate time to do some mental and spiritual “clean up.”  It is always hardest to look objectively at our own lives and identify the items we need to let go.  Actually, better said, we know the things we should be addressing, but often do not want to face up to them, as we are afraid of what that might mean to us.  We have had them around for a long time, like a favorite tee shirt that is disintegrating or a favorite pair of holey sneakers that we keep using the excuse that they are good to wear while painting (even though we have not painted in years). 

I have begun to throw out some items; it is a start, because there are many others that need to follow.  When I threw out the first few, it felt great.  Whatever reasons / fears I had to keep them disappeared quickly and left me with a sense of (minor) accomplishment and the realization that I created space.  Enjoy this time of year, this time of “awakening.”  It comes once a year and it is important that we take physical, mental and spiritual advantage of spring.