Walking through the park on a Spring Day

                          Walking through the park on a Spring day

While walking through the park on a Spring Day I chanced upon a butterfly.

 flitting from flower to flower, happily collecting the sweet nectar.

How refreshing I thought, such a contrast to the other days prior to this which were colder. The flowers were not yet blooming and hence the butterflies had not been out gathering.

But today, nature was on full display.

Dragonflies glided around the sparkling pond and baby ducklings swam in line behind their proud mother.

Overhead I heard the robins twittering excitedly as if to announce their return from other places.

The air was crisp, but not cold. The warmth of the sun had not yet given way to the slightly chilly evening breeze.

My light Spring jacket was adequate and how relieved I was that I had not needed my heavy Winter coat.

This was always a sign of Spring for me. I always dreaded putting on my heavy Winter coat the last days of Winter.

The other walkers were just as thrilled Winter had gone. I could tell from the spring in their steps and their cheery greetings as they passed me. 

What a difference a season makes. In just a few days, people had gone from stiff upper lips and brisk walking to get out of the cold to nonchalantly walking and taking time to take in the view.

The trees were getting ready to put on a full display of blossoms. You could almost feel the energy surging through the branches as the sap travelled from roots to trunk and from trunk to branches and from branches to buds pulsating  with new life.

There was also the incessant buzzing of the bees humming that signaled ’Spring is here! Spring is here!

My thoughts suddenly took flight and I remembered a time, a long time ago when I was in love with the man I would later marry.

We had met in the Winter, but it was in the Spring that our love blossomed. You could not deny the feeling of exhilaration and complete abandonment when you realize you were in love.

You smiled unabashedly. You understood the poet’s words which said it was in springtime that a young man’s heart was awakened to love.

You looked at the world in rose colored sunglasses.

Every day was a day filled with sunshine even if it was a rainy day. Every moment was charged with promise and expectancy. There were no bridges to cross because you had already crossed them. There were no mountains to climb because you were already at the top. There were no rivers to maneuver because the rivers were only streams in which to wade.

You loved everyone, and everyone was your friend. In fact, you felt like kissing everyone. You were bursting with good will and your heart was singing.

Every love song was written for you, and you sang every chance you got. You were on an emotional high or as some say, ‘on cloud nine’

He had proposed and the thought of getting married was new and needed time to assimilate.

Like unwrapping a gift, you knew you were going to love, your thoughts timidly unwrapped the meaning of getting married.

With some hesitation, you take a peek and then stopped, not wanting to jinx the moment with your anticipation and excitement.

 Every night you went to sleep thinking, I’ll think about it tomorrow, and every morning you wake up thinking, while looking at the diamond on your finger, what a beautiful morning! Oh yes, I am getting married! I must start planning for the wedding.

But yet you knew you would procrastinate for as long as you could and so you gently pushed it aside to tackle the mundane things of daily life.

Of course, you had to tell others and you imagined what each person would say. Some would be happy for you, others would ask you questions that made you uncomfortable, and wished you didn’t have to think about.

There were some days that you took it seriously and start to think of what being married was like. Would he change from being the kind fun-loving personality that you liked? Or would he stay the same. Would you get along with his family?

Will you have children? How many ? A boy for him and a girl for you? What would they look like? Mmmm..What would their names be?

What kind of wife would you be? Caring, loving, cooking his favorite meals ? What kind of husband would he be? Understanding? Caring? Considerate? ,

 Would we have fights or would we get along smoothly?

Your thoughts took wings and you had to stop yourself from thinking in order to complete your daily tasks.

Even though it was fifty years ago, the thoughts still made me blush My face felt hot and I felt the warmth of new love swell up inside me. I quickly looked down afraid someone had seen me and could read my private thoughts of sacred places where no one is allowed and which words could not describe.

His touch made me tingle and his warmth more caressing than an overcoat could do.

I could still feel those arms around me? I could still imagine his breath on my face? I could still feel the urgency of his embrace. O what unspeakable joy!

I had not visited this time and place for so long I thought I had forgotten.

As feelings of love and longing washed over me, I had to sit down on the park bench for a minute and close my eyes.

It took a little while for my composure to return. For my thoughts about that special Spring which can only come once in a lifetime was threatening to undo me. Aware that I had awakened emotions I had kept buried deep inside me, I closed my eyes and took deep breaths to regain my composure.

I smiled and wondered what had possessed me? What had triggered my thoughts to return to such a time and place? Was it the birds, the fresh spring air or the flowers blooming and giving the place such beauty? Or was it Mother Earth awakening after a long sleep teeming with life and renewal and rebirth?

After some time, I resumed my walk in the park on that fine Spring day.