I’ve always loved Spring. There’s just something about the changing of the seasons; the rebirth of the nature around us. The flowers are blooming, the trees are budding, and so are we. We are creating ourselves for the new year ahead. Spring is a time for new mindsets, and goals to come out of hibernation. That old dream you had about creating a business could become a reality. You could finish a story you had been crafting for a while, or even set a date for a trip you’ve always wanted to take. It’s all about springing forward with no regrets, and just as life comes out of hiding; so can you.
Nature is so beautiful. It sounds incredibly cheesy to talk about, but it really is a spectacular view. To see the trees blooming with life after months of barren branches is one of the most simple things in life. But that is what spring to me is all about; the little things. Watching the grass slowly transform from gray mush to a lush pasture. Listening to the birds start to chirp outside the window, and understanding that the life around you is delicate, yet unwaveringly powerful. The simple motion of the cool breeze upon my face brings me to tears, and the comforting warmth of the sun upon my back gives me back a joy I never knew I could feel. These simple pleasures are infinitesimal in the grand scheme of the world, but they are what keeps us going as we venture through life.
In the same manner that the smallest movements in nature can move mountains for us as humans, we can do the same in our daily routines. Changing it up can be the start of something magical. Smile at a stranger, or hug your family a little tighter. Walk to class the long way and enjoy how content you feel in the heavy silence. Take a little bit more time realizing the good in the world, and it will be so much easier to deal with the bad. That’s what spring is. Spring is new life, and we can give new life to ourselves by appreciating what we have and who we are.
As someone who has dealt with a plethora of self-doubt lately, this season is a chance for me to discover who I want to be. I thought I knew who I was, and now I have to take a little bit of time to figure it out. My life may not take the path I had decided on, but it may be the path that I need to go down. Who we are also takes on meaning as a part of spring, because naturally we change as the years go on. We decide what is important to us and what no longer applies to our lives. Spring is never exactly the same each year. This year it’s been exceptionally hard to see the beauty in spring because of the drastic weather, but it is beautiful nonetheless. It makes the nicer days that much more enjoyable, when we know what the nasty weather feels like. But spring doesn’t cease to exist. It does not become invisible because of the changes within; and neither should we. We are not anything less than we were before, just because we have changed. What we believe now may be different and we may not look the same, but we are nothing but radiance. Spring is radiance, and blossoming, and growth. Spring is new beginnings. As the semester goes flying by and spring becomes more and more apparent, I will give myself a new beginning as well.
Love,
Shyana Marie