Simply Spring

There were a hundred hints of Spring in the air when I took my dog outside on this fine morning. The air itself was warm and comfortable, more so than it had been in months. It was refreshing and replenishing as I took a deep breath under the cozy March sunshine. I snuck a smile. This was my favorite time of year, where the weather was just right, and the wind seemed to hug you back. Spring was upon us, and with that, the days longer and warmer. The sun brighter and happier. The grass greener and fuller. And people's smiles reflected the joy that the sun brought to us. Springtime comes as music to the soul, and as a lullaby to rock winter into her seasonal bed chamber so she can dream of ice-kissed dreams until her late November alarm clock wakes her up.

This new spring day came in the form of warmth and light, embracing the sense of freshness that abounds. My dog was sniffing at the freshly grazed grass, still recovering from the icy blanket that covered it during those long winter months. Overhead, a small red cardinal flitted its scarlet wings effortlessly as it perched on the rickety branch of a delicate tree, still starting to bud as it recuperated from its Winter haircut. My dog and I took a quick break on a comfortable ironwood bench right below it.

As my dog rested in a bed of grass beside me, I reclined my back on the bench. As I treated my lungs to the fresh Springtime air, I noticed something poking out from in between the cracks of the sidewalk. I leaned down, and my eyes laid on a petite little flower, already in full bloom. But not just any flower. A lone Daisy had popped its head through the ground, daintily looking about. I wasn't exactly sure what had made it finally decide to end its long Winter slumber in a state of disheartening dormancy. Perhaps it had felt the warmth of the Spring sun reach out to awaken it, accompanied by the occasional pitter-patter of an early Spring rain. Perhaps it had noticed that the ground around it was no longer trapped under a bleak frozen carpet of ice. Perhaps it had heard the cardinals chirping and singing a Springtime hymn that told the world it could awaken once again. Perhaps the silent roots of the trees had whispered to it a message of safety and approval that Spring was finally here. Or maybe it just sensed my presence, and decided to greet me with it's angel white petals, and soft aroma. Whatever the reason, I was happy to see it, and I could tell that it was just as happy to see me.

I closed my eyes for a moment and was amazed as dozens of Springtime memories mixed and mingled in my mind. It tickled my senses and helped recollect my thoughts as I started to remember those fond memories from way back when. The faithful Spring breeze and the sweet scent of the little Daisy helped transport me back to yesteryear, and time almost seemed to have stopped around me.

I was suddenly a six-year-old again picking flowers from my Grandma's backyard garden, arranging them on the ground in rainbow order, and then scooping them all back up again in my hand so I could create a bouquet for when my mother came by to pick me up from a fun-filled Spring day at my Grandma's. I could picture the smile on her face, her rosy cheeks aglow with pure happiness.

Then, I was 12 again, riding my bike down a hill with my friends, the wind whistling past my face. I could vividly hear the blades of grass rustle in between the tires of my bike. When I reached the bottom of the hill, I sat under a tree with my friends talking and laughing. My mom packed the four of us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into that fresh delicacy that was as delicious and as simple as the Spring air around us.

I was suddenly transported to my senior year of high school, on a rather mournful and melancholy weekend. It was the first rain of the season, and of the year. We hadn't had rain since early November. Everyone was adorned, not in bright spring greens or cool baby blues, but in black. My brother and I held my mother close to us. My father's tombstone right in front of us, with a silent daisy growing right next to it. We shared our sorrow with each other that day, for in those moments of raw pain, when it felt as if love screams in silent anguish, there are the memories of the good times that we once shared, like a blossoming Spring meadow.

And then, I was in the present. I was a young dad, taking my dog for a walk, and walking with my son and daughter to the nearby playground. I pushed my daughter on the swings and stood at the bottom of the slide, waiting for my son to come down so I could catch him, all on a pleasant and serene Spring afternoon. The sound of their laughter made my heart soar and the joy in their eyes put a smile on my face.

As I bathed my mind in these fond memories, I looked forward to another wonderful Spring season. I eventually opened up my eyes, and came to my senses. My dog was sitting patiently at my feet, carrying the little Daisy in his mouth that was once stuck in between the cracks of the sidewalk. I smiled down at him and pet his head. I knew exactly where he wanted to go, almost as if he could read my mind.

When we got to the cemetery, my dog ran over to the exact spot where my father's tombstone lied. The little daisy that was growing on the right-hand side of it was still there, still thriving after all these years. But now, it was accompanied by dozens of other little daisies, surrounding the grave. Mother Nature had surely blessed this stone with the gift of Springtime flowers. I lied the little daisy we found right in the middle of the stone, and hoped that it would bring as much joy to my father's soul as it did mine.

We're all traveling through the passage of time in this world, and we are all strolling through sweet seasons in our lifetime. We are all creating timeless memories everyday with the ones we love, whether we know it or not. It's important to appreciate the little things in life, and may we add our own sense of joy, love, and beauty to them.