Welcoming Spring

Ponytail, tank top, shorts and running shoes was the attire for this evening's run. I especially liked the tank top and shorts...because that means it's finally warmer weather. I've so needed spring. I'm quite happy that it's finally arrived. Tonight's run was hot, and I was stinky and sweaty by the time I was done. And I loved it!

This winter has been especially trying for my family, immediate and extended. Unwelcome change knocked on our doors in early January, and stuck around for too long. That, along with colder weather than we're used to in the Bible belt (which caused us to be inside way more than we desired), put me in a funk. No other way for me to describe it. Just a funk...an unhappy funk.

But tonight's run reminded me of new life.

Vivid colors of freshly planted flowers dotting yards and lining driveways, a welcome sight. The scents of freshly mowed grass, blooming plants, food on grills, and even the faint smell of cigarette smoke in the distance were welcome smells. Journey's Don't Stop Believing repeatedly played in my ears. The combination of them all, along with seeing neighbors milling about, reminded me that spring, the season of new life, brings people out of hiding.

I need spring. I need the revival of life that the season brings. I need to walk out of the dark, cold funk, and breathe deep the air of life revived. I need to step out of the stagnant place and feel the growth that occurs in this season. I need to believe that after a cold, harsh season comes warm renewal.

I welcomed spring tonight. I'm glad it will stick around for a while!