In a recent journaling class, I gave the opening prompt, “This spring…” and everyone wrote a response for five minutes. There was a general consensus that the arrival of spring feels surprisingly daunting. The winter provides permission to rest and retreat. Springtime can feel exposing. It’s hard to shed a cozy winter coat! (As we know, the spring wardrobe change isn’t everyone’s favorite).
Spring and summer in the Northeast bring with them a feeling of “anticipatory nostalgia” (a term I learned from an information plaque at the Met). There is a feeling of fleetingness, of the preciousness of the temperate weather and sunshine. This can create a feeling of pressure to make the most of every day.
As a group, we agreed that every kind of weather can be nice and that there is no need to have a scarcity mindset about spring days. We will enjoy what we can when we can — and when the next season comes, we will enjoy what we can then, too.
P.S. I really enjoy spring weather!
(Pexels: Gary Moore/Pexels)
