Follow Spring to Easter New
Easter is upon us; time for newness and fresh beginnings. It’s no coincidence that Easter falls in the season of Spring; a time when the world awakens to new growth. The birds are rediscovering their songs, daffodils still us in awe, and plans are being made to till the fields in preparation for new crops that will nourish the world.
The other morning, I walked outside to retrieve the newspaper at the end of my driveway. Tightening my robe to stall the infusion of the early morning chill, I was unaware of everything but my tired fleece-lined slippers. For some reason my gaze was drawn upward, and suddenly I was stopped in my tracks. There, painted across the early morning sky was a masterpiece of color also known as the sunrise. It was as if the angels took broad brush in celebration of a new day. Blues and violets amidst rising sunbeams redefined a new beginning. Coincidentally, this new day was now part of Spring. “It’s time to wake up!” the bold morning sky seemed to scream.
Despite the lingering chill (as I write this, my morning walk still requires my winter gear) the greening of grass reminded me that nature’s resurrection is here. Scattered days of chill will be replaced by warming breezes that provide encouragement to partake in the newness of our world. Trees are budding, color is sprouting from the reawakened dirt, and the morning sun’s glisten reflected on new shades of green invite us to enter these new days.
Truth be told, I’ve been in dowdy mode since about early January. It’s easy to blend in with the grey skies and puffy coats of Winter. I think I’ve probably had my head down to shield from the cold for quite some time now, yet the gift of that early morning sunrise reminded me it’s time to expand my gaze, find something bright in my closet, and most importantly, look with new eyes. Gifts of our waking world can feed us hope, reminding us that fresh rebirth can come from the dormant. Many among us might feel a bit tired or worn by the long winter days where you wonder if there will ever be new sprouts of hope. Pulling the covers over your head during winter’s prolonged erosion of faith makes it easy to retreat to a place of doubt; doubt if things will ever get better.
Lest we succumb to winter’s despair, just in time, Easter reminds us of possibility. Along with the world’s resurgence, I think Easter provides the opportunity to till the soil of our tired hearts. Easter is about resurrection. Easter inspires us to renew ourselves so that we can see anew, be anew, and love anew into this complicated and often difficult world.
Easter joy is anything but a quick fix. So, how do we access Easter when the grind of life feels so heavy? I say embrace Spring! Spring will show us the way, one daffodil at a time. Opening ears to the birdsongs, opening eyes to the magnolia blooms, or paying attention to children playing outside are reminders that there’s a bold and beautiful world beyond our winter-worn hearts. Nature’s a pretty good teacher. Combine Spring with the robust resurrection of Easter, my guess is your soul will be warmed and your gaze will expand. When all else fails, no worries; the sunrise is sure to inspire; sometimes with brilliant fanfare, other times dulled by clouds. Regardless, the dawn of our universal star is a promise of a new day just as Easter reminds us of the promise of a new start.