At this time of year, I like to get out and about, looking for signs of spring. Since December, the first shoots of spring flowers – daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops – have been pushing their way through the cold soil to find the sunlight. They sometimes get covered by snow and battered by the wind and rain, but they still persist to bring us those first few splashes of colour from January onwards.
Looking for these signs, along with other signs like catkins, leaf buds on branches, birds gathering nesting materials and lambs being born, makes me feel just that little bit happier. With all the doom and gloom that’s going on in the world at the moment, we need to hold on to every little thing that makes our hearts feel glad!
I can understand how ancient peoples must have felt like there was no end to winter sometimes, and they would have been so glad to see these signs of life returning. Spring has always been a time for celebration in the Northern hemisphere, and I think it still should be. By connecting to the natural world around us, we feel closer to our roots, who we are as humans and our place in the world. If we lose this connection, we can feel lost and like we’re just drifting from one day to the next. By noticing the changes in nature, it reminds us that we can change too, and nothing is permanent. So, if you can, get out there and enjoy the wonderful world around you!
The Nature Coach 