Thoughts of Spring

     Tomorrow begins the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It always brings to my mind thoughts of renewal. It signifies a new growing season, and a proliferation of flowers. In the north this means crocus and daffodils breaking through the snow. In Florida the azaleas bloom and manatees gather in the coastal springs and canals. It is a time to contemplate and evaluate where we are in life. It is an opportunity to make new beginnings.

     Are we happy with the way things are going? What changes can we make to improve our situation? It is a time of spring-cleaning. We air out our homes, and toss out items we do not use anymore.

In our lives it is a good time to free ourselves of burdens we carry around. Throw away that old baggage of past happenings that cause regret. We should not allow them to stop our future goals and desires. We should learn from our mistakes, but not allow them to inhibit our growth.

     Even though trying new things is scary, spring is a good time to try new things. We’ve all been afraid to try new things such as the first day of school or learning to ride a bike. Gym class was always good for evoking fear for non-athletes. We feared looking stupid. We feared striking out or dropping the ball, and letting a run score. Sometimes we did screw up, but we survived the humiliation.
     Most of us survive our mistakes. We may get bruised and battered, but life goes on. The important think is to be happy. Life is too short to be miserable because we are afraid to take chances or afraid to fail.