Happy Spring! With the first official day of spring having come and gone, spring is finally starting to be felt in the air. Many people anticipate this time of year, a time in which the season brings blossoms, sunshine, and warmer temperatures. But, it’s more than just another season.
Whether or not you enjoy springtime, the truth is, there’s a lot we can learn from it about our own seasons as we journey through life. We’ll go into three in this article—blooming again, starting over, and embracing mystery.
Our goal is to inspire you to notice how our own lives can reflect spring and to pick one of these three that resonates the most with you to focus on this season. But first, why do we tend to cherish spring so much?
Spring, perhaps more than any other season, seems to be a season that we longingly look forward to. Its vibrant colors follow the gloom of winter, sunshine breaks through the snow and clouds, and blooms emerge from once-barren branches, stirring anticipation in our hearts.
But, why do we look forward to spring so much? Besides everything mentioned above, could there be something deeper inside of us that longs for the coming of this new season? It seems to be represented in nature and us alike.
Spring is such a stark contrast to the winter before it. Many times in life, we too face winter-like situations—mental health struggles, anger, loss, loneliness, physical health problems, financial issues, problems at work or in a relationship. Perhaps in our own lives, we too yearn for a substantial shift between our past and our present, between our current and our coming.
I believe that’s why we look forward to and long for springtime to arrive. Let’s now dive into what we can learn!
When the leaves fall to the ground and for months all we see are dead, bare branches, we don’t worry that it will be that way forever. We innately know that this season is temporary and spring will come soon and bring blossoming with it. Yet, we worry when things fall apart, break, or die in our own lives. We worry that we will never see the (metaphorical) sun again, things or relationships will never be repaired, or that we will stay dead and damaged inside forever.
But that’s simply not true. Life is still happening inside and around you, and like spring, you will bloom again.
Just as humans aren’t worried about nature growing and blooming again, a tree isn’t worried either because it knows it has everything inside to bloom again. My therapist once told me this analogy of an acorn: no one tells or teaches an acorn how to become an oak tree; it simply has everything it needs inside to become what it was created to be. In the same way as those acorns, you too have all you need within you to bloom and become what you were created to be. Trust in that and your ability to make it through the harsh winters of life.
Last, but not least, in order to bloom, flowers need both sun and rain. After all, April showers bring May flowers don’t they? If buds only got sunshine, and no storms, the flowers would dry out and wilt. On the flip side, if it’s all rain and no sun, the flowers would drown in water. Just as flowers need both to grow, so do you. So, soak up the sun, don’t hate the rain, and know that you will bloom once again. It’s who you are.
Perhaps one of the greatest joys of spring is watching the fresh starts occurring throughout nature. The birds start afresh, building new nests to lay new eggs. The flowers start afresh, sending up new shoots and buds to blossom. The bees start afresh, jumping from flower to flower pollinating the earth.
In other words, you too will bloom again; no season is final. Winter doesn’t last forever (even if it feels that way), and neither will a difficult season or event in your life. I promise you, it’s never too late to start over.
Think about a big part of spring for us humans: cleaning. Spring cleaning is all about decluttering rooms, dusting off spaces that weren’t being used, and deep cleaning every crevice in our homes. It’s all about fresh starts and fresh spaces. In the same vein, you too deserve a fresh start. You’re not too far gone to do so.
While you’re looking around your spaces this spring, don’t be afraid to take a look at your own life too to see what’s working and what’s not. What do you want to keep doing and what would you like to change? Is there a habit you want to start or break? Maybe you could pick up a new hobby, change jobs, rekindle a friendship you miss, or let go of an unhealthy relationship you’re in.
Whatever it is, give yourself so much compassion for where you’re finding yourself, and remember that you can start afresh any time you’d like.
While spring is a certain date on the calendar, the months of March, April, and May differ a lot. This season also looks entirely different in various parts of the country—Southern California/Texas/Florida might be in the 80s and sunny, states up north or in the mountains like Colorado or New York may be getting last-minute snow storms; Mississippi/Missouri/Tennessee may be getting hit with tornadoes one minute and then clear skies the next.
Yet, there is still so much beauty to be found in the mystery and unknown of the season.
Just as there is mystery and some unknown about the timing and happenings of spring, we too can embrace those elements in our lives. We are unable to control weather elements…but also many events in our own lives. However, we can control how we react as well as live with and through it.
How? By embracing the mystery of life. Not knowing is okay; you’re going to make it without a complete (or any) plan. Accepting change is good and will help you adapt to whatever life brings your way. Don’t try to figure it all out. Smile and take things one step at a time.
In spring, whether with the snow, the sunshine, or the storms, no one disregards the beauty that the season still brings. Joy still comes from birds building nests and laying eggs, baby animals being born, flowers blooming, the sun staying up longer, and the butterflies and bees flying around. Even with the chaos in your own life, don’t forget to marvel at the magic around you amidst the mystery. Life is still happening and worth embracing!
Whew, who knew that we could learn all of that from just one season? The truth is, there’s a lot more we can all take away from spring. It’s a beautiful mix of magic and mystery, of fresh starts and blossoming—just as our life is a mix of heartbreak and happiness, chaos and calm, problems and purpose, tears and triumphs.
We hope you can take a minute this spring, despite whatever is going on in your life, to pause, take a deep breath, and notice the beauty of the season you’re in right now.
Life will never be perfect nor problem-free, but the more you remember that you will bloom again, you can always start over, and learn to embrace the mystery, the fuller and freer your life will be. That’s what’s waiting for you this spring and onward!