The Season of Singing

Yesterday was Groundhog Day and that usually makes me really excited. I mean, there is nothing I particularly like about the animal itself and the fanfare that accompanies the tradition does seem a tad silly, but still there is something about the day. Celebrating that we made it through January, the coldest month of the year, and talking about the possibility of spring coming. Spring!

Now that I looked, I regret doing so, but when that old groundhog saw his shadow again yesterday, I just had to wonder how often spring comes early, according to the shadow lore. I was more than surprised to read that he has seen his shadow 101 times and has not seen it just 17 times. And that makes me wonder what in the world I get excited about every February 2.

But I know the answer. Its spring. And against all odds, spring will come again this year. The now three feet of snow that lays in our yard all shimmering and majestic will, again this year, melt into the ground, making a wonderfully muddy mess that the kids will enjoy and revealing the grass and roots and buds that have been there all along.

Hope is like spring to me. Its the promise that things are going to change....its one thing we can count on.

So lets listen for the robin and look for green sprouts and watch as the light reaches and stretches to fill out more of the day. And soon we'll be rejoicing:

See! The winter is past;

    the rains are over and gone.

12 

Flowers appear on the earth;

    the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves

    is heard in our land.