Ode to Spring

Written by Professor Sean Price

As we move closer to spring, I always feel a sense of renewal. New Year’s Day seems to masquerade as the ‘new beginning’ by some bizarre default. On January 1st we make misguided promises to ourselves based simply on the changing of a calendar day. Locked in a mid-winter freeze it is no wonder many of these promises go awry by week’s end. Spring, on the other hand, has a more holistic approach to the much-maligned idea of ‘new year, new you’. With longer days and warming temperatures, it is hard to resist the euphoria of a world reawakening. Amidst a pandemic, the promise of better weather to enjoy the outdoors without fear of frostbite seems like everything we’ve ever needed.

I choose to look at spring as a new year. It’s much more fitting metaphorically; my mood seems to lift with hope and promise of the bountiful seasons ahead. This year, in particular, the hope grows as vaccinations increase and the grief we collectively felt for a way of living we took for granted begins to lift.

For many students, spring heralds the end of another term. Some may be starting their education anew while others are finishing their first semester. You may be at a halfway point or you might be ready for graduation. In all senses, these are new beginnings. Excitement, nerves and anxiousness are natural. More important now than ever is taking a moment, be it an hour break between classes or a whole afternoon, to allow the warm breeze and colourful displays of spring to provide some healing comfort. At the risk of going down a pathway of healing energies and botanical potions to comfort your soul, we are often too quick in our modern world to dismiss the power of a breath of fresh air.

With the daily bombardment of pandemic pandemonium, take a minute to unplug and recharge under a cherry blossom tree. Come May, don’t just marvel at a blooming magnolia, drink up its sweet scent and take full advantage of such a fleeting, beautiful moment of our year.