It’s official. Spring has sprung! If you’re anything like me, you can’t get the idea of new growth out of your head. I’ve already started digging out the site of this year’s garden. I’ve pulled up a bunch of weeds, tilled the soil, and began creating a barrier to guard against the wildlife. The air is more pleasant with the smells of rich, soft earth, and it doesn’t hurt my lungs like when I take a deep breath during the winter. The sounds of birds tweeting bring me joy. And the sight of little flowers and new buds on trees demand my attention. For me, this vernal equinox holds a little more promise than prior spring seasons.

With a little hope and a lot of science, we may be getting ahead of the pandemic. My daughter will be back to in-school learning for five days a week beginning next week. And there have already been a handful of days warm enough to go outside barefoot. Since realizing – through therapy – how stagnant my thought processes were, I’ve realized how life should be an ever-growing journey. I always thought there was a determined plan that I had to control and fully commit to, with just enough fate thrown in that I had to hold on for the ride. What I didn’t realize was that sometimes you have control and other times you don’t. Sometimes fate will open doors for you, but it’s up to you to step through them. There are no actual rules for life, only that you live it in the way you choose.

I choose peace. I choose gratitude. I choose love. And I choose growth.

This vernal equinox marks two years for me not watching adult television. I do watch children’s movies and TV shows with my kiddos, but for entertainment, I read. My commitment to constant learning is how I grow. I also commit to taking several baths each week and to regularly meditating, which is how I choose peace. And when I’m peaceful and not stagnant, it’s easy to be grateful and loving.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this spring unfolds. I’m looking forward to growing along with all the plants around me. I won’t strive for a certain level of knowledge. I’ll just strive to keep going, to keep learning, and to keep growing.

Isn’t that what spring is for?