Springtime

                   SPRINGTIME

Even the casual evocation of the name brings a smile to people’s faces and a twinkle to their eyes. “Spring.” It is the harbinger of milder weather to come, sunny skies, green, green grasses, trees and shrubbery and even the riotous profusion of colorful wild flowers growing in the heather. Glorious spring gives the beleaguered a sense of hope and renewal.

The last few winters in North America have not been kind. Bitter cold temperatures, record snow falls and generally miserable weather conditions have kept millions hunkered down in their homes, dreaming of Florida, Hawaii and other climes where the sun is shining, temperatures are warm and the beaches welcoming.

The feeling of warming air out of doors  is comforting as one watches the slow dripping of icicles melting on the eaves of homes and buildings. The frigid grasp of winter is easing and the layers of outwear slowly peel off as the sun heats the new found brown patches of earth beneath the crusty and dirty white snow banks. That of course doesn’t preclude a last blast of snow in late March or early April, but it still means the long, dark tunnel of winter is coming to an end.

The farmers ready their machines and tools, anxiously looking forward to the first plowing and planting of their waiting fields. Others start to clean up their golf clubs, or ready their bicycles, all eagerly anticipating those golden days to come when the gentle wind brushes your face and the warming sun makes everyone smile at the gift nature bestows on everyone yearly. Spring is new life and a new beginning. Just as New Year’s has all of us pledging a new start, spring kicks those plans into action. Hard after spring is summer and the glorious freedom that it provides. No wonder everyone talks animatedly of the arrival of spring.

Make the most of the coming spring everyone and appreciate it for the new hope and new beginning that it brings to our lives. For like all other seasons, it passes too quickly.

                           -30-

               Joseph Xavier Martin