Easter Rebirth

In the northeast and elsewhere when winter wanes, and spring creeps in on sunny days with glacial melt, we have a visual arrival of a long-awaited season. Usually, the first gentle harbinger of spring is the Crocus. Plump rabbit ear-like leaves poke through a cracked soil of frost’s fissures and surprise the eye with green delight and soon colorful expectations.

Crocuses are the herald angels of spring. Their flowers come with the natural colors of Easter, yellow, lavender, purple, some in cream and others in white.

About thirty of the species are cultivated by us humans, including the “Crocus sativus.” If you like bouillabaisse and other Mediterranean dishes you can thank the Crocus. The pungent, robust flavor of Saffron comes from the flower’s stamens.

I have a couple of cherry trees on my property, and when I looked yesterday, the tiny buds were ready to splash into a pink splendor. Unfortunately, they don't last long, but their moment in the early spring is glorious.

In Japanese culture, the cherry blossom is symbolic of the beauty of life and also life's fragility. It reminds us that life is beautiful, but it is also short.

And so for this Easter season, I offer this observation of nature's grace. Enjoy the rebirth that lies just below the protective bark of winter and the spiritual renewal birthed in each personal faith validated by what we call the glory of spring.