Spring Growth

Watching nature bring back all of life’s colors and start the cycle of growth is a most magical thing to witness. The ground paints itself green one blade of grass at time, then you notice that the green is reaching out to the sun and growing closer to it. Buds on trees swell and start to crack open, letting you see their hints of whites, yellows and greens. Some hardy bulbs shoot forth their flowers even while snow still coats the ground. I think that they cheer on the other flowers who are more hesitant to peek out and see what is going on, letting them know that the time is near.

Here in the northeast, winter holds on a bit tighter, and we get a little impatient for the first spring greens to show. Sometimes, we need to create a little bit of spring life inside, to grow the tender seedlings, so they might have the amount of time that they need to grow and bear fruit in our gardens. We then need to tend them, giving them more soil and bigger containers to continue to grow while the weather outside is too cold, and windy for them to live.

As the temperatures rise and things get warmer, and the winds relent just a bit, we take our little plants outside for a few hours each day. To let them experience the wind and slowly allow the plants to become strong to be able to stand within it. To let them feel the sun, to be able to process it’s energy into the nutrients that it needs, allowing all the cells to slowly learn to work successfully, without getting burned. Then, we give them a break, bring them inside to rest and then start again the next day. After a week or so of this transition, they are able to stay outside and are ready to be planted (I am impatiently waiting for this time right now, but for us it could well be another month.)

Starting inside, giving nutrition, tending to needs, allowing things to build and learn to work properly, resting, being patient…

I didn’t start out to write a metaphor at all, I wanted to share my love of watching spring build life… I guess I did a bit of that too.

Maybe take some time to sit out in nature for a bit, just being in it and a part of it. See how you feel when you are touching the earth and taking in a bit of that energy from the sun and then, go back in and rest when you have need of it. There will be so much more to come when we are prepared and ready for it.

All My Best.

Getting Ready to Spring Forward

Spring is nearly here!

My little dog Lester the Whoodle will tell you we should be outside every day! Every moment of every day! To play with the sheep, cow, ducks, and geese! They should also be playing with him regardless of what they would like to be doing! (Wow, that’s a lot of excitement.) Coming inside is a calamity, there is pouting, I get side-eyes and he gives me tail (turning his back to me) so I am emerised in his reticence. However, being his mom, I know that there is a balance that needs to be kept. He needs to eat, sleep, and have downtime. If he does not receive this balance in his life, things will easily go awry!

I also know sometimes after winter, we need to be reminded of this as well. Spring is wonderful, but we need to remain in balance. It’s getting warmer, we are seeing the sun more often and we feel that we are all moving through and out of the winter’s cold and the earth’s slumbering rest. The stagnation and anticipation that occurs as spring slowly comes forth, is coming to an end. And let me tell you, we are excited about the energy and warmth that spring bursts forth! We are ready to get outside for longer periods of time, ready to garden, ready to start playing outdoor sports and getting together more often with friends as the days lengthen. There is just more to do in so many facets of life.

However, we need to remember to take time for ourselves, to have quiet moments, to rest, and not feel like we need to be actively partaking in this change of weather every moment of every day. To nourish ourselves, to allow the foods of the season to give us the nutrition that we need. To remember to take in the calories and hydration that are required to keep our bodies in optimum health and our body’s healing abilities to remain optimal.

Rember, even as spring’s energy is rushing forward, that taking things slowly does not mean we are letting things pass us by, but giving us the opportunity to appreciate what we are surrounded by, to sit with it and have gratitude for it. This gratitude for the little things we take time for creates room for happiness when we repeatedly find ourselves taking time for them daily.

May you find that you are looking forward to fresh air, nourishing food, clean air and a little bit of nature every day. May you also find yourself in the quietude, gathering peace for your soul.

All My Best,

Dr. Nicole