The Madness of March
Spring is Reluctant, but for a Good Reason
The melodious song of the skylarks announces the arrival of spring. It is March, the month of heartfelt joy, and when boundless energy fills all that lives. Tulip tips bud out of the moist soil, and the fragrance of grass and earth travels on the wind’s milder currents. It is March, the month of renewal and awaking. Formations of gees and cranes fly overhead, honking in delight at the prospect of ice-free ponds and lakes ahead.
And then there is the light. The light has returned! For those who have lived through a Nordic winter, the return of the sun’s life-giving light is like a uniting force of communal reverence. The light of the spring sun is almost sacred.
A thick layer of gray clouds covers the sky. A piecing wind blows right through the thinly knitted sweater. It is March, the month of capricious moods. Snow and hail cover the flowerpots so eagerly moved outside. Too eagerly. It is March, the month that strings us along the hills and valleys of its emotional landscape. It is the month that tests my patience.
I find myself feeling resentful of the weather. All I want is for it to be warm and sunny and springy.
But then again, who am I to think I have the right to expect the weather to conform to my preferences?
The world was here millions of years before I popped into existence. The winds, clouds and ocean currents formed weather patterns long before the dinosaurs roamed. These powerful forces created ages of ice and eras where humid rainforests covered the continents. And it all unfolded before I even took my first breath.
At some point I was granted life on this planet. I entered the world having done nothing to earn it. And then I expect the weather to cater to me! How preposterous.
My perspective shifts. It is March, the month for practicing gratitude. Gratitude for the privilege of getting to experience rain, snow, hail, icy winds and gray skies. It is March, the month for practicing acceptance. Acceptance of all that I cannot control.
March has its madness, but also its miracles. And now, April stands at the threshold, with the promise of warmer and sunnier days ahead. Then again, April will bring its own antics. Let’s see what April has in store.
