The Garden At Rock Cottage by Lance Brilliantine

Spring Wish

Ah, spring - that magical time of year is here once again. Oodles have been written about it. It is the time when the gardening toils of last fall come into being. Nature surfaces from the battering winter (though not so bad this year) and there's a sense of accomplished-survival by every living thing. The poet Robert Frost expressed my sentiments exactly: "Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day; and give us not to think so far away as the uncertain harvest; keep us here all simply in the springing of the year."

I thought of moving to Cuernavaca - the place they say is in eternal spring. I visited the place, and it is simply not so. The weather is temperate, but less beautiful than California; things are dried and worn, and the place is far less bright than you might expect.

Personally, I'm in love with the bright, fresh greenness of spring. It was my mother who taught me to see that green color - a "crisp, lime green" she'd say with her Southern drawl. The garish colors of tulips and crocuses, and that heavenly smell of hyacinth are irreplaceable in the spring I know.

In spring, you can feel life bursting from everything. It is not just about hatching out, or emerging, or learning, but also about oozing juices and textures, and moistness; warmth and peace. I suspect that rain, wind and light all play together to create the effect. How clever of nature to orchestrate such a tantalizing potion - even to make the daylight longer to extend the effect.

Spring is full of opportunity and meaning. Some waft through spring seeing just the colors and feeling the freshness, but missing the essence. I try to gather every bit of spring I can in order to absorb its energy and reignite my soul. It's as if the little boy in me comes out to play again and my perception, creativity and sense of joy emerge. I cannot express the joy of crumbling moist soil in my hands or in seeing an emerging seed from a favorite flower - spring is beautiful.

At this time of year the flora and fauna make choices -trees choose to send out leaves, flowers elect to send out blossoms - or are they compelled to do so? Perhaps spring is an opportunity, not to be compelled, but to be psychologically refreshed, encouraged and inspired to change and make things better. Ah, spring - it is a renewed chance to look at life, and a new opportunity to infuse myself with manna that digests to a new way of looking at life.

This time of year reminds me that every day can have some freshness and a renewal of purpose, and high purpose and intention. Spring is just the confirmation I need to open the door to the outside world where I will think of my mother's comments about the lime green color, of the hatching out, of learning something new. And I will kindle the energy once more to find the peace that spring and gardening brings me every year.

This year, I hope that spring will have a special meaning for everyone. Finding a moment to care about the world around, about the animals, and people and opportunities that can be had - is a wonderful wish this spring.

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