Spring, Spring, Spring!

Dear Reader,

Today is the first official day of Spring, an event I love to write about on the blog. I have written about Spring “inner cleaning”, Spring and the unexpected, and Spring as a time of rejuvenation.

“Hey, wait a minute,” you might be thinking, “the photo that goes with the blog post sure doesn’t look like Spring!” Well, we are in Maine, and Spring can be a little unpredictable here – to the tune of 21 inches of snow last week!

So today, I am writing about Spring and the feelings that may go along with seasons of change in our lives.

I love snow. I really do! And during that massive snow storm last week, I stood – as I used to as a child – with my nose pressed against the window, just watching the beautiful flakes fall from the sky. But inside… a little piece of me said, “I’m done with this.”

I knew that deep down, I was ready for Spring. My inner clock wanted to leap forward.

Who knows why? Maybe because of the huge amount of snow we got in mid-February; maybe because of the deceptive warm streak we hit near the end of February; or maybe it was simply because of the events unfolding in my life. Either way, I could feel a desire for Spring in my very being.

We are creatures oriented to cycles and seasons, despite the many ways our lives have evolved over the last thousand years. We often change our behavior, our outlook and our lives based on those cycles.

I am a passionate believer in the importance of honoring and following the cycles in our lives. And yet…

Sometimes the way we feel doesn’t always line up with the season. We may need to hibernate in August, or visit the beach in January.

Sometimes, it may just be a matter of anticipation, and feeling the desire for change a little prematurely (even the woodpeckers thought Spring was on the way last week!)

Or, sometimes, we may be out of alignment and need to recalibrate, “Gee, the beach would be nice, but maybe it really is time to lay in wood for the Winter, hibernate, and listen to some good stories.”

So your job, dear reader, is to tune in to how you feel inside, and be open to the cycles of your life – whether in relation to the seasons, or the completion of a project, job, or an entire career.

Sometimes, you are being called on to go with the grain, but other times, you may need to go against the grain. Your feelings will tell you what is called for – if you let them.

I honor your loving heart,

John