Spring is here, ah, spring is here.

Life is skittles and life is beer.

I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring,

Don’t you? Of course you do!

Tom Lehrer, Poisoning Pigeons in the Park

Spring is Finally Here!

Today I took my heavy overcoat off and walked to the bus. The Japanese plum tree on the boulevard was in full bloom. The only time of the year it looks nice. Spring had arrived.

I love waking in the morning to the sound of robins outside my window. I love the snow fall of tree blossoms raining down on me. When I was little I used to run through them, arms outstretched. When no one is looking, I still do.

Fresh Life

With Spring comes a feeling of wanting to wipe the slate clean and start something new and fresh.  I want open windows, bright colours, fresh food.

All the projects that seemed so important in September don’t matter now. Those were dark days of winter projects. Now I want to go out and rework my entire garden to emulate the perfect Downton Abbey garden. Perhaps clean out the garage in order to find my bike again so I can feel the fresh wind in my hair, life without care, etc.

Re-evaluate

The freshness of the season also makes me take another look at what I’m doing with my life. It’s springtime, more so than New Year’s, that makes me reconsider my life choices. The resurgence of the flowers from the dark soil, makes me feel I should do the same.

So what am I going to change?

Personally, I’d like to change everything – except my cat.

Me

I want to change my body so that it will be fit and strong. The problem is that my staying power is not that great which makes this particular desire a bit difficult to achieve. Don’t you wish you could go to bed at night and in the morning, just like a butterfly, emerge perfectly formed and lovely? That’s what I wish for but reality is another thing. Guess I’ll just have to keep trying.

I’d love to open my closet and find that – miracle of miracles – EVERYTHING fits me and it’s all clean and pressed. Come to think of it, I’d like to open my closets and not have anything fall on me or be piled in the corners. Perhaps that’s a more achievable wish – neat, uncluttered closets.

Living Outdoors

More importantly, Spring makes me want to get out in nature.  From the first moment I hear the robin outside my window, I feel the need to get outside.

Even though gardening can be a tough job, I get anxious waiting for the rain to stop so I can get out and start slashing my way through the jungle. The yearly battle with my neighbour’s plant interlopers is both annoying and rewarding. To hold a fistful of morning glory or raspberry shoots in my hand and fist punch it to the sky is strangely rewarding. (Cue the Apocalyptica music).

Peace

More importantly, Spring makes me want to find inner peace. Not yoga pant, deep breathing type of granola peace, but really deep down peace. The comfortable in my own skin peace.

I’d like to forgive all the trespasses and hurts of the past and allow the fresh green leaves and snowdrops to fill the void. To enjoy the simplicity of the chickadee’s song and just feel privileged to be here to enjoy it.

Spring signifies another chance at life and the chance to be fresh and new again. I may no longer be a spring chicken but I can still be in my heart.