Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Sometimes when I awake I find that I can only remember my dreams for a fleeting moment and then they quickly fade from my memory.  Springtime can also be a bit that way for me.  It is something that I dream about throughout the cold of winter, but by the time it arrives, I had almost forgotten just how wonderful it is.  The breeze that blows, the cool rains that fall, the gentle flowers that grow, the birds chirping sweetly in the trees.  These are some of the many blessings that come with the season of spring as the earth awakes from her winter’s slumber.  Initially, we notice these things because they are such a stark contrast to the bitter cold of winter.  As always, these things soon become part of our common everyday world and we are tempted to slide back into complacency.  Once again we go back to our everyday life and forget to notice the beauty around us.  Yet I continue to strive to live my life mindfully aware of the natural world around me. I try to remember that each day, each thing in the natural world, is a gift from above.  So let us rejoice in each of these blessings both big and small.  For noticing the beauties around us enriches our lives in a multitude of ways. 

Waking the Earth

I come to you like a memory of a dream;
Almost forgotten, yet I am more than I seem.
I am the sweetness of a deep breath of fresh air;
Breathing new life out here where before all was bare.
I am the dark clouds and the cool rains that now fall;
Bringing growth where before there was no life at all.
I am the petals of a delicate flower,
That bravely withstand even the spring storm’s power.
I am the sturdy branches of the old oak tree,
Standing tall here despite the strong winds that blow free.
I am the sweetly singing little feathered bird;
Bringing joy to the world through my song without words.
I am the joy found in all the new life of spring;
Gently waking the earth and making the world sing.