The day dawned with the freshest hint of spring in the air and the birds singing in celebration. The daffodil shoots are popping up wherever the sun gives its greatest warmth.  A few seem to be thinking about the possibility of blooming in a burst of yellow hopefulness, though we know from our experience that winter is not done with us yet. They probably know this too.  Still, the longer hours of daylight can’t help but cheer the soul. 

And yet, there hangs a veil of melancholy over us.   Perhaps it is just weariness over the many cold days we have had lately. Winters are tough on so many people, especially here in New England where they are longer and colder than most. And this year, the leap year means an extra day of that.  The season starts when the cold winds of November set in, and the sky begins to display its favored shades of grey.  It continues through the waves of cold rain and even colder sleet and snow.  A few of us may be able to escape for warmer climes, but most have learned to grin and bear it.  And yes, even to embrace it for all that it is. A brisk walk in the winter forest is invigorating in a way that it can never be in the summer’s heat.  And, the way that the snow glistens when the sun comes out after a storm is, for a few moments, pure perfection on earth. But now, as winter nears its end, the snowbanks have turned to blackened slush and the sodden ground makes it hard to walk the forest paths we love.  The bird song says spring, but the trails say mud season, and that will be with us for some time.  Tomorrow will bring cold rains and temperatures that will dip below freezing.  Keep smiling, keep singing, keep writing, and keep praying for an extra dose of patience.  Spring is coming!