pic from vivian (ny through the lens).
today is the spring equinox… when the earth’s tilt is fairly straight up & down, and the day & night are equal. ok. truth time. perhaps today is not the exact day when you have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark wherever you live, but it’s close. no matter where we are in the northern hemisphere, we all experience a day when the length of day and night are close to being equal = equinox. it could have been 2-3 days ago, or today. nevertheless, today is the first day of spring. the seasons have changed, and it is time to move out from the darkness of winter & into the light of spring. and that makes me super happy.
of course i have been talking about the promise of spring for a few weeks now (the season where sweden go crazy because the long winter will soon be over)… the days have become lighter, we have had our share of warm (14/57 degrees) days, birdies are starting to sing, tulips are being sold on every corner, and there are just a few buds popping up in very random places. i’ve even begun wearing my sunglasses some. still, it looks more like winter than spring outside up here in the nordic countries… but, there are signs. one must remain patient here in sweden… the trees & flowers will really bloom in late april/may. but, it’s on it’s way!
proof that spring is on it’s way, even here in norrköping.
the rebirth of life. i could write about this forever. the symbols are everywhere. nature is oozing with spirituality, telling us the story of light & dark; of life, death, and rebirth. over & over. year after year. spring constantly reminds us that life conquers death. that love wins. that, even though we may feel hopeless & completely forsaken, the cycle of life guarantees that we will not be defeated. even when we die (metaphorically or literally, in my opinion) we find life. new life, rebirth, beauty, warmth, light, freedom… they all lie on the other side of the darkness & suffering. i have experienced it not only in the seasons, but also in my life. in my death and my rebirth to the freedom to embrace the courage to simply be me.
what an inspiring season. full of the promise of hope. it’s so easy to forget that hope in our every day lives. in those cold, dark days that seem to drag on forever. but, spring does come again. and, for this year, it has arrived once again. now we can go forward, anticipating the fullness of spring and all of the joy that it brings. happy first day of spring, my dear friends & family!
quote of the day. (ok. 2 quotes. i couldn’t help it.)
“the beautiful spring came; and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” ~ Harriet Ann Jacobs
“our lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” ~ Martin Luther
taking it a step further.
- FAST from wasting electricity — turn off lights when you aren’t in the room, turn off or unplug electronic gadgets when you aren’t using them. (and mark down earth hour on your calendar – march 31! 8:30 – 9:30)
- PRAY: Read this by Rabbi Yisrael Rutman, about hope from a Jewish perspective, or this by Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards, then meditate on what you hope for and how you can begin today to make your dreams & hopes become reality.
- decide to GIVE your old or obsolete electronics to a local electronics recycling center.
look outside today. search for any sign of spring that you can find. i just came back from eating lunch with lina, and as i walked past some bushes that lined the sidewalk, i spied a few teeny, tiny red buds. it’s happening. change is coming!
peace.
The daffodils, crocuses and magnolias are in full bloom now in Chicago! Spring is coming, even to those of us in cooler climes than that.
We came home to a thunderstorm yesterday, instead of a snowstorm, which is what people around here usually worry about in March.
hello there! thank you for your comment… even if it lead me feeling insane amounts of jealousy for you over there in chicago. hehe. so glad you are experiencing some of the beauty of spring! thanks for stopping by!
Wonderful post. I love the Martin Luther quote!! I must say, there’s nothing quite like spring weather to brighten my mood. I’ll put off almost anything on a nice day so that I can go outside and enjoy the sunshine. We’ve gotten super lucky this year in the Midwest. Spring is already here–2 months early! We’ve been having April/May weather for the last couple weeks, and it’s amaaaaaazing! 🙂
it is truly a great quote, i agree. and yes, spring is most definitely a mood-lifter and the catalyst to many-a-day spent enjoying life & procrastinating responsibilities… but it’s all good. enjoy every little minute of beauty! (even if i’m dying of restlessness over here). 🙂
Enjoyed the post. I just love spring! – I’m in South America now and during my travels haven’t really experienced those seasonal changes in the same way as back in Europe…
Thanks! Spring is slowly arriving way up here, but it’s on it’s way nonetheless. Enjoy your time way down south! I admit I’m a a little jealous. 🙂