The Questions of Spring

On Thursday, I went to North Carolina to spend a few days with my best friend. A break from the still chilly Boston weather, it was fully spring there. We spent an afternoon walking around the gardens near her apartment. Trees were in full bloom, sprouting purple and pink. There were people of all ages, strolling together or lying clustered in the grass. Birds sang. The sun was so bright that I wished for sun glasses.

And after several days of talking with my friend and enjoying the sun, I felt changed. Like most people, I have had some worries and stresses this winter. But by the end of the visit, the worries of winter had faded to the background. I returned home rejuvenated.

Springtime is a time of transition and renewal. It is often a time of leaving behind the winter blues, and embracing new opportunities.

I have seen this idea reflected in several Unitarian Universalist writings recently. Last week, I picked up Admire the Moon: Meditations by Mary Wellemeyer. This collection includes the poem “Spring.” In it, Wellemeyer asks the readers questions to help us move into spring: “What birds need to fly home to your spirit? Where can you find love? What sun will melt the frost in your heart?” Considering these questions can help us to take the next steps in our spiritual lives. If winter is a time of hibernation and regrouping, then spring is a time of emergence and exploration.

Also asking questions is Matt Kinsi, the Unitarian Universalist author of the blog Spirituality and Sunflowers. He asks in his March 27th post, “What should die inside me so that I might truly live?” Kinsi frames this as a springtime question, related to the themes of Easter.

These questions have reminded me that spring-ing forward doesn’t happen automatically. We have to let some things go in order to rejuvenate our spiritual lives. Perhaps spiritual growth is an ongoing process of holding on to what nurtures us, and letting go of what we need to move on from. Thankfully, springtime is here to remind us.