Springtime

March 04, 2020 By Emilie Smith, LPC

This time of year we begin to see things change. We see the trees and shrubs that have been sleeping, having drawn their energy into their roots to rest for the winter, beginning to wake up.

We begin to see the first signs of returning life. Maybe it is the daffodils poking their little green leaves up through the cold earth. Maybe it is the first sign of buds on the tree, hovering on the brink of exploding into color, or the tiny yellow-green tips on the ends of branches waiting to unfold into fragile new leaves as the sun warms their veins. Spring. It calls us to new life, to restored life, or maybe just to consider life. Loss of a precious person in our lives often takes us to a place of quiet withdrawal. We pull into ourselves, closing the world out, holding onto whatever energy we have just to get through our own personal winter.

Some may find the raucous colors of spring and the sounds of the birds returning to be unwanted. It calls to a life they are not ready to pursue. If that is the case for you then that is okay. Bide your time. Nurture your heart. Wait until you are ready. But let spring remind you that life is still there, waiting for you to reach for it in your own time.

Others may find that this season of life and rebirth is just what they need to live again. Maybe just as the warmth of the sun beckons the world to be renewed, you are beginning to feel your soul warm to the possibility of something new also. Life is here, waiting. Just like there is some predictability in Spring, there are also some surprises. New plants may spring up amidst the familiar. Unexpected seeds may push through the soil waiting to be discovered and nurtured to their full potential. You too may notice new life, some surprises, unfamiliar things coming your way, encouraging you to try something new, stretch your wings, and discover who you are now.

Because loss changes us, irrevocably, but it doesn’t have to destroy us. When we are ready to look we may find something beautiful has taken root in our hearts and in our souls. A greater sensitivity to others. A desire to face things that we used to think were hard, but now seem not so big. Or a desire to do something new, to create something wonderful, and to embrace ourselves with a newfound love and respect that comes from weathering the winter of our souls.

Pick yourself a flower. Look at its simple beauty. And see the hope for yourself reflected back at you in its perfect design. You deserve to live. One day at a time.