Spring has sprung!

It's here! Spring has sprung! I love this time of year when suddenly you start to see those changes - the bits of new, green growth creeping up and in all around. Tree limbs that seemed so barren suddenly have little green buds all over them. The hyacinth bulbs I planted last fall are starting to pop out of the ground - hurray! Crocus that has been around the house probably for a long time are stretching their green leaves toward the sky. And, as I look out my window these last few days, patches of green in the lawn are widening and spreading. All so beautiful - fresh and new with hope and promise.

And it seems that people are following suit. After a few months of hibernation, we are venturing out - testing the weather and exploring the paths we all had been running and walking just a few months ago. A little slower for those of us who really went into deep hibernation! But what great fun to see people out and about again - in the local park, walking along the nearby bike paths and river. Everything "coming to life" again. Ah, spring!

And our regular friends the robins and mourning doves are back. Great joy to see them working their waay around the yard looking for food, perching in branches and on gutter edges sunning themselves, and hearing the doves mournful coo.

Somehow, this time of year, it seems like you can just feel God's love, Her touch on everything, as the surround comes almost suddenly back to life. In celebration, here are some thoughts from Mary Baker Eddy's writings that are appropo:

"Beauty is a thing of life, which dwells forever in the eternal Mind and reflects the charms of His goodness in expression, form, outline, and color. It is Love which paints the petal with myriad hues, glances in the warm sunbeam, arches the cloud with the bow of beauty, blazons the night with starry gems, and covers earth with loveliness. " (Science and Health, 247:21)


"God fashions all things, after His own likeness. Life is reflected in existence, Truth in truthfulness, God in goodness, which impart their own peace and permanence. Love, redolent with unselfishness, bathes all in beauty and light. The grass beneath our feet silently exclaims, 'The meek shall inherit the earth.' The modest arbutus sends her sweet breath to heaven. The great rock gives shadow and shelter. The sunlight glints from the church-dome, glances into the prison-cell, glides into the sick-chamber, brightens the flower, beautifies the landscape, blesses the earth." (Science and Health, 516:9-19)

"Spring is my sweetheart, whose voices are sad or glad, even as the heart may be; restoring in memory the sweet rhythm of unforgotten harmonies, or touching tenderly its tearful tones.

"Spring passes over mountain and meadow, waking up the world; weaving the wavy grass, nursing the timid spray, stirring the soft breeze; rippling all nature in ceaseless flow, with 'breath all odor and cheek all bloom.' Whatever else droops, spring is gay: her little feet trip lightly on, turning up the daisies, paddling the watercresses, rocking the oriole's cradle; challenging the sedentary shadows to activity, and the streams to race for the sea. Her dainty fingers put the fur cap on pussy-willow, paint in pink the petals of arbutus, and sweep in soft strains her Orphean lyre. 'The voice of the turtle is heard in our land.' The snow-bird that tarried through the storm, now chirps to the breeze; the cuckoo sounds her invisible lute, calling the feathered tribe back to their summer homes. Old robin, though stricken to the heart with winter's snow, prophesies of fair earth and sunny skies. The brooklet sings melting murmurs to merry meadows; the leaves clap their hands, and the winds make melody through dark pine groves. ...

"When gentle violet lifts its blue eye to heaven, and crown imperial unveils its regal splendor to the sun; when the modest grass, inhabiting the whole earth, stoops meekly before the blast; when the patient corn waits on the elements to put forth its slender blade, construct the stalk, instruct the ear, and crown the full corn in the ear, — then, are mortals looking up, waiting on God, and committing their way unto Him who tosses earth's mass of wonders into their hands? When downtrodden like the grass, did it make them humble, loving, obedient, full of good odor, and cause them to wait patiently on God for man's rich heritage, — 'dominion over all the earth'? Thus abiding in Truth, the warmth and sunlight of prayer and praise and understanding will ripen the fruits of Spirit, and goodness will have its springtide of freedom and greatness." (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, pp. 329-330)

Ah, spring! Thank you, Father-Mother God!