“Happy Spring!” said an old guy in a quirky hat I passed on my walk a few days ago. I enjoyed his enthusiasm, even though where I am the birds have been swooping and we’ve been eating ripe mulberries from our tree for a couple of weeks already.
In any case, it seems not only lovely to mark the arrival of Spring but also necessary in times such as these. Spring, to me, seems hopeful. Like there’s the possibility of flourishing after this long season of suffering.
And the sight of so much beauty and abundance reminds me to take a moment to ‘smell the flowers’.
Perhaps you might consider this a reminder for you too. Of course ‘smelling the flowers’ might look something other than actually bending down to take in the perfume of a fragrant bloom. For you it might be a deliberate effort to notice something beautiful to you on your walk or the way light touches a surface in your house, or the texture of a favourite t-shirt, or the riff of a favourite song, or any other thing that brings a touch of joy to your heart. This is a practice of ‘taking in the good’. When you notice, whatever it is you notice, the practice is to stay with it, linger a little longer and soak it all up - the sight, the smell, the sound and also notice where and how you feel it in the body. This helps us anchor in the heart, which is never a bad thing but might be particularly helpful if you’re frequently feeling awash with grief or melancholy or frustration or desperation or any other challenging emotions that might be visiting you now. It’s not about denying those experiences at all - in fact, if they are present, you could say they are coming to be blessed! Rather, could you hold them lovingly under one arm and also open your hand to receive whatever beauty or joy or wonder is available in the same moment.