Spring has always been filled with inspiration for me, in life and in work. Of course, the warmer temperatures tend to lead us outdoors and we are generally more active than in the colder months, yet the newness of life almost makes me feel like a child again. The second Saturday of last month was spent almost entirely outside cutting brush, weeding, prepping container gardens, cleaning gutters, blowing leaves and some general straightening up, or “spring cleaning” as it has come to be known. This year, working in my yard seems to have more purpose; I’ve been putting more heart into it.
Over the past few months, several people in my circles have had to deal with the loss of a loved one. Some over time, expectantly, while others passed quite suddenly without any warning. One good friend of mine, married for nearly 44 years, lost his wife in a cart accident while she was doing what she loved the most: gardening. George and his wife, Mary Nelle, had retired after decades of teaching and they loved being outdoors, in the yard or at the lake. Mary Nelle perennially had the most wonderful yards and gardens filled with color and thriving year-round. The works of her hands, tending the soil, providing nurture for young seedlings and caring for those plants until they were healthy and could stand on their own was, in a way, a beautiful continuance of her and her husband George’s careers in teaching. And George, being a loving father, has been courageous and a pillar for his daughters as they have rallied to support each other. I’ll be enjoying planting, the yard and even life more this year thinking about the lessons that I’ve learned recently from Mary Nelle’s love of gardening, George’s love of Mary Nelle and the support of family.
Each year when the daffodils begin to bloom, we’re reminded of the resiliency of the natural world — how, when the world around them gets dark and cold, they instinctively seem to retract into the shelter of the ground, much like we do under similar circumstances. Then, when the moment comes, they burst forth with all the splendor within them — leading the charge into the new season. It’s important for us to remember that life’s not perfect. It’s okay to shelter or seek solace from what befalls us. It’s more important that, when the time is right, we harness whatever it takes to gain a foothold and rise again, to be bolder and brighter than we were before, be a positive influence on others, and enjoy the marvels of being renewed, refreshed and resilient. Root firmly, find courage, break forth. Grow.