Walking fast to the post office, I automatically adjust as I approach the cherry trees with their pregnant pink blossoms. Their fresh, dewy vibrancy demands “slow down, notice me.” 

My pace now becomes one of a pilgrim paying homage to the sacred. I make sure I return this way.

Spring de-stresses us, if we allow it. Sitting next to a jar filled with lilacs means their fragrance becomes yours just by breathing. 5 tulips in a vase gather themselves into a large embrace, resembling a yellow-tipped candelabra. A glance in their direction relaxes nerves instantly.

And how about that special spring green of early buds? Their assurance of renewal reminds us. “Keep calm. Nothing to worry about. Life continues.”

And how about those birds, cheerily chirping the sunrise and settling us in at sunset? Research even affirms that 10 minutes or less of listening to birdsong soothes the soul.

Yes, spring can de-stress us, if we allow it.

How to allow it? I often ask myself. My mind can manage to mangle spring’s offerings.  

An example: When I read about birdsong easing tension, my thoughts automatically went to another set of data which shows that today half of migratory birds are threatened by extinction. (Tension rises.)

I think about Rachel Carson’s prophetic book, Silent Spring, written over 60 years ago where she predicted an earth so polluted it could no longer support life for many species including song birds—hence, Silent Spring. I think maybe we are getting closer to that day, closer than we dare to think about. (More tension rising higher.)

I guess, spring can stress us, if we allow it.  How not to allow it?

I hold on to images of a Raucous Spring—not a silent one. I hold on to people like Dr. Nicole Apelian, a person who vibrantly lives with MS, radiating Spring’s message every day. She gives all who are willing, instructions on how to make your backyard an attractive home to songbirds.

And then there are the prescient people who have turned their manicured lawns into wildly diverse gardens attracting not only birds, but those all-important bees. And likewise, those forward-thinking communities who insist on and persist with local gardens, no matter what, bringing birds, bees and healthful food to everyone around them.

Yes, Spring can de-stress us, if we allow it. 

Let’s intentionally allow it to work its magic, while we work ours.

Copyright, Gloria DeGaetano, 2024. All rights reserved.