everything changes

Rarely, have I seen Spring come so early and with such exuberance. Every day, around every corner, some new beauty greets me— tiny new leaves unfurling on the maple tree, pink budded almond bushes, forsythia, magnolia, cherry trees decked with blossoms… tulips and peonies pushing out of the ground, a nest in the pear tree, the brown of winter transforming into a bright spring green.

Children are dusting off roller skates and frisbees, skipping down the street, chalking the sidewalks with pastel drawings; I see more families out on evening walks, couples holding hands. It’s a joyful season filled with simple pleasures– watching birds build a nest, stepping outside without a jacket, planting pansies, ranunculus and bleeding hearts in the pots by the front door.

One woman said this: “Your baby will go through all kinds of stages, phases, schedules– some will be wonderful, some will be difficult….

…the key to happiness lies in enjoying the blissful times and knowing the hard times will pass.”

Beautiful parenting advice, but even better life advice.

When our lives feel cold and dark and bleak, we can know warmth and beauty and color lie in the future.

God cradles us always. It may get darker before the light emerges, but light and peace will always come.

In the good times, the easy stages and phases, we have a responsibility to savor and celebrate and express gratitude.

I feel almost guilty about the giddy, somersaulting, singing from the rooftops happiness at our house right now– Hansie’s mission call, Stefan coming home in a month, romance, good friends, building a rose arbor in the garden…

But I’ll record those feelings and remember that happiness, and next time life feels impossibly dark, I’ll remember… God reigns in the heavens, the light will come.