A 60-degree day in early Spring can feel like summertime when the sun isn’t hiding behind the clouds. As a burst of serotonin flushes through my brain, my body quickly remembers the simple joys of fresh air and the sun’s warm rays. The Spring season is vibrantly declaring its arrival. The bright yellow dandelions are popping up around my yard. The grass verdantly stretches for the sky, knowing it’ll soon be trimmed. It’s the first Spring in my new home. Another rebirth. Another beginning.

My seed starter tray has sprouted new floral life. My chicks are developing their personalities and their appetites. And new flavors of dirt soup and mud pies are being added to the menu. While the winter is unavoidable in the Northeast of the United States, it also allows for a deeper appreciation of the beauty of growth and the beauty of a new start. The winter is over. Before I know it, I’ll be jumping into my aunt’s inground swimming pool and teaching my daughter how to jump off the diving board.

My old digs were eight times larger than my new digs. I miss the vast number of trees at my old house that spread far and wide. I also miss not having to use window covers in the summer because the thick barrier of leaves gave the impression of green curtains that danced in the wind. And while it’s smaller here, my new house has many advantages. The sun is brighter and more accessible, which means the garden will thrive. The yard is completely fenced in, which reduces the chances of a pet – or a child – going missing. And it’s mine. I did this.

Be Proud

Being the biggest doesn’t always mean the best. It might appear that a bigger house is more desirable than a smaller one, but desirability is entirely subjective. The things I miss about my bigger house are more than offset by the positive things I’ve gained in my new one. Independence and self-sufficiency are among those positive things. In my new house, our emergence from COVID-19 will seem like just one more thing blossoming in my life, one more thing for which I’m immensely grateful and about which I’m immensely proud.

Spring in the old house was green. Spring in my new house will be green, yellow, pink, coral, and red. There’ll be flowers. There’ll be new life and new growth. It may have seemed smaller at first, but it’s filled with more pride, joy and heart.