Spring Song

It is one of those glorious days in New Hampshire when the clouds part and the warmer breezes sweep into newly opened windows. The sun's warmth bares down on the melting snow, pushing off Winter so that Spring may begin once and for all. There is promise in the breezes; fresh air to cleanse stale homes that had been shut up tight to fend off the drafts of Winter. Cold, dark nights are shorter. Bright, warm days grow longer. People peek out from behind their doors and venture out, walking, biking, running. We emerge from our homes and point our faces up towards the sky, smiling and squinting. Warmth. We feel warmth where for so long it has been cold.

Like an eager child on Christmas morning to open her presents, I struggle to restrain myself from throwing off my coats and socks. I want to peel off the layers that I have carried all season which have been heavy on my shoulders. Their weight seemingly protective and yet pushing me down.  But I have learned too often that careless enthusiasm is dangerous; some caution is necessary. So instead it is important to slowly adapt to the changing seasons. Adapt at my own pace, aspiring for seamless transitions.

And I can hear the tones as they grow louder. The rhythmic whurr of the cars on the highway, no longer muted by packed snow. The dancing branches swaying in heavy winds are feathered cymbals. The red-breasted flutes and their songbird wind section give a morning concert. "Time to rise, enjoy the day. The sun has come, it's time to play!" A children's choir plays on the street below. Innocence and imagination, intent on discovering new worlds and inspiring us to see life for what really matters - our friendships and the simple pleasures that come from time with the ones we care most about.

I am a very visual person. I read people's expressions, see life through the viewfinder of my camera, honing in on the minute details of life. But sometimes I have to close my eyes and open my mind to the sounds of life. It might look different then I had hoped it to look; it might feel different then I had hoped it to feel. But what does it sound like? What is this song which plays in the background? Today, it is a Spring song. No lyrics. No words. Just soft notes. Soothing, soft notes.