I think it is pretty safe to say that spring has officially sprung here in New England. Of course there are the typical northeast weather patterns to contend with (such as the cool, rainy stretch of weather we are currently experiencing) but everything is in full bloom and bursting with life, energy and color. It is a welcome sight after many months colored by shades of brown, gray and white. Year after year, nature generously offers us the freshness of spring and the promise of brighter, warmer days ahead.
Lately I have been turning more and more to nature as a way to keep myself in balance. I recall that I used to have a tendency to become highly agitated if the weather did not cooperate and provide the sunshine I wanted on a vacation, or the snow I desired to create a picturesque white Christmas. How funny I find this that I took the weather personally and actually became emotional about it! This morning while I was sitting in silence before I started the routine of my day, I listened to the rain gently falling outside my window. Instead of feeling annoyed and wishing it was a sunny day so that I could get out for a walk (which I did), I decided to appreciate the peaceful sound of the rain and thought of how beautiful and green everything will be after this week long stretch of wet weather that is in the forecast.
I also try to apply these same qualities of gratitude and acceptance into my life on a daily basis. As much as we like to think we are separate and special, the fact is that we are an integral part of the whole universe and intricately connected to nature. Once we witness how beautifully, intelligently and perfectly everything in nature unfolds I wonder how we can even begin to imagine that we are more powerful than it or reason that it is actually productive to resist anything that shows up in our lives? To oppose or try to assert power over situations or circumstances in our life creates what I visualize as a blockage to the natural, creative flow of life itself.
This is not to say that we should expect to feel elated and joyful over everything that happens to us, or that we are not the captains of our own ships to a certain extent. The fact is that suffering is part of the human experience. To me, it's about allowing it all to happen without creating resistance or judgment, which only leads to more suffering. To deny the dark, difficult or uncomfortable times is to deny life. To try to rush or force something to happen before it is ready to reveal itself or unfold naturally is a futile effort and a waste of energy. Again, nature is a wonderful example of this. We need to know the night to understand the day, storms to appreciate the calm winds, snow and cold to fully enjoy the warmth of basking in the sun. And just when you are ready to give up, the first flower of spring bursts through the ground.
