Spring is a breathtaking reminder of how truly astonishing change can be. The forsythia bushes call out: “Look over here! Do you like our vivid yellow? Want to take off your sunglasses to see how brilliant we really are? Come on, do it!”
The daffodils try their hardest against the lush green grass. “Hello! Over here! Aren’t we a pretty group of perky flowers? Come closer and gaze upon our cheerful cups.”
As we take our early evening walks around our neighborhood, when the light is surprisingly vibrant and the sky even demands some attention, our family of six chooses to notice all the incredible colors of spring. We point out the flowering trees, dozens of clustered daffodils, multicolored tulips, and bursting azaleas. They have all been reborn and so we parade around trying our best to soak it all in.
Indeed there is no denying it, the colors of spring are bright and brilliant. The new season brings a time of greater energy after a long, sluggish winter. I feel motivated and excited to do more, to engage more. It’s my most active time of year, mentally and physically. My mind is invigorated with a refreshed sense of hope and expectations for what may come.
Spring brings about important reminders about life. It reminds me that life is fragile, yet beautiful, just like the soft petals on a blooming cherry tree. I’m also reminded that I can’t control when the buds on a particular tree will burst open with flaming colors. In the seemingly stagnant blocks of winter, we must patiently wait for spring. In the hardest of times, we can close our eyes for a quick moment, and choose to remember that the brilliance of spring is coming. Why? Because it has come before.
My Brady is like a flower who blooms when he is ready. During our rougher days, weeks, months (I can’t predict how long temporary setbacks will last), I close my eyes and chose to see through the current winter storm we seemed paralyzed by. I think of his past ‘springs’ – like when he has exceeded everyone’s expectations in gaining reading skills despite being so, so far behind. I mindfully remember our successes when it appears that we are taking two steps backwards into the icy snow.
When Brady suddenly blooms in parts of his life where I thought he might remain idle for longer, it makes the hairs on my arms stand up and I stop to soak in the brilliance of his new blossoms. They are so incredibly beautiful; I want to weep because it was so worth the wait. I experience renewed hope for what else may bloom.
“Over here!” Cry out the azaleas in our neighbor’s front yard. “We did it again! Come and see our expressively dramatic colors – purples, reds, pinks, yellows.”
Do I pause and notice the stunning colors of spring? You bet I do. I stop because it fills me up to dwell on the beauty of life and how special kids like Brady, who don’t have the same type of root structure as other typical blooming plants, continue to bloom when a parent/teacher/caring adult provides warm rays of love all year long. And it gives me great solace to know that I will see more of his blossoms again, whenever it happens.
This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post (for https://findingninee.com). Today’s photo-prompt “vivid” was brought to you by Mardra Sikora. She provided this beautiful photo. s
What a wonderful analogy – Brady’s spring to the spring season, blooming and full of so much more color and beauty than it’s possible to remember during winter months. I appreciate the reminder too of it all being “so worth the wait.” Great job with the prompt — you nailed it. I’m SO glad you’re blogging now. Also the photo of Brady and Reagan is absolutely stunning.
Thanks, Kristi! Stopping and saying things out loud like “Hey guys! Look over there at those tulips. Which color do you like the best?” helps the kids see what’s around them but it also helps me appreciate the beauty of life, and the small things that are right in front of our face if we choose to look.
I really do! Every second of it. I think it’s from years of photography and waiting for the greenery and flowers to be just so for photos for families and realtors who wanted life to be a certain way at a certain time.
Indeed it always does bloom – even through extended winters and storms. Just like your Brady!
Thanks for commenting! As you definitely know from taking pictures for others, photography is a great way to force yourself to enjoy the whole scene of what’s happening in the present. To see gorgeous photos of radiant colors certainly helps us all appreciate the nature’s beauty.
Rebecca — I believe your writing is your calling, and Brady is that link that has made it come alive for you. Well done, brilliant, and bravo. I love you guys —
Each blossom is worth celebrating, That is for sure! I love your deliberate wording, “our family of six chooses to notice all the incredible colors of spring.” Because so often people (myself included) forget that even noticing is a choice.
What we notice is a choice as is what we celebrate, and choosing colors and “wins” and the little alongside the big, so many wonderful moments to choose to notice! I look forward to seeing more of your celebrations as you grow your blog.
Thanks for your comment, Madra. You are so right about choosing to notice. It’s a mindful choice that we must make time and time again so we recognize that life is dynamic, ever-changing. Successes should be celebrated and setbacks can be only temporary.