By Marygrace Lomboy, CRNP
Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone.
Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.
–Sir William Alexander (c. 1567–1640)
Springtime…nature’s beautiful event that predictably happens each year, but each time it happens, it’s awesome. An incredibly display of God’s presence and power. Energy and life pours out from the earth with a new sense of vitality and life. It is a time of renewal, and a time for rebirth.
As we begin to work the soil and rake up remnants of the past seasons, we see signs of fragile life. Perennials and flower bulbs begin to poke their tiny heads towards the warm light of the sun. It just happens, without our help and without our prompting. A true miracle of nature. It reminds me that life at times will have it’s way and I can just rest in it. I can relax in what nature will offer and not try to control it or move it along.
Spring is also a great reminder that the dormant and cold winter months is a part of life and there is purpose to it. It allows us to have “down times” in our life that gives us an opportunity for regeneration and to appreciate the gloriousness of spring. Spring serves as a bridge from the barren cold darkness of winter to the bright sunshine and warmth of the summer. Our times of loss and suffering in life allows for new growth and hope for the future. Spring is the perfect time of the year to remind us that there are brighter days ahead.
“Every spring is the only spring—a perpetual astonishment,” says British author, Ellis Peters. It is nature’s amazing display of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. It’s a magical feast for our eyes, but is fleeting. A brief and wonderful gift from above.