It was a last minute decision to walk with a friend. The sun had almost set, but the Spring air was refreshing. We hadn’t seen each other for a while, and we needed to catch up.
She wasn’t there when I arrived, but the park district man who watches out for us walkers was there. I hadn’t seen him for a long time, and it was good to catch up.
This is the time of year when people get outside, emerging from their winter nests to engage with the world again. It feels good.
Sometimes.
The air feels clean. The activity possibilities feel promising. The reconnections feel familiar.
But coming out of the cocoon can feel overwhelming and uncomfortable, too. I began to think about people who have ignored or severed relationships and begin to tiptoe back to them. I thought about people who have snuggled in a blanket of deception and begin to step into the brightness of truth. I thought about people who are weary or who are reminded of their frustrating limitations.
Emerging into Spring, while potentially beautiful and refreshing, can be challenge as well. It can expose our inactivity or inattentiveness through the bleak months – emotionally, relationally, physically, spiritually.
But there is hope – always. Wherever you are, take a breath. Step forward. Yes, you might need to loop back to heal some of the past, but have the vision to consider the possibilities and do the tiresome work to live out hope. In the end, the effort and results can be exhilarating.
