Spring Has Not Sprung

I've been thinking a lot about the weather this week. It probably has something to do with the fact that it's "spring," but still snowing off and on here in SLC.

Ugh.

The weather is funny.

In fact, I'm beginning to think the weather is a big cosmic metaphor for life:

1) Life has seasons--much like summer, spring, winter, and fall.
There's heat. There's chill. There's birth. There's death. And lots of in-between.

2.) There are certain seasons I like a lot.
Joyful ones (aka sunshine).

3.) There are certain seasons that bring me less joy.
Grey ones. Dark ones.

Well, actually, I don't mind these "winters" so much . . . ONCE they pass. LOL!

4.) The changes in the seasons/weather make me appreciate each season.
Winter makes me LOVE summer. And summer makes me LOVE winter. The contrasts are so drastic; this helps me to appreciate the uniqueness of each one.

So fortunately, just when I think I can't stand the heat anymore, fall will arrive.

Or when I can't take another day of snow, the sun will break through the clouds and give me a glimmer of hope--a small preview of what's to come.

5.) I can prepare myself for the seasons.
Because I know to expect the changes in the seasons, I can kind of prepare myself for what's to come. I can "winterize" my life, so-to-speak (prepare myself for the difficult and happy periods).

BUT . . .

that doesn't always make a particular season easy to bear.

Nope.

And what's worse? Sometimes I don't even know what to prepare for--like it's a season I've never experienced, so I don't even KNOW what I'm lacking.

That's always fun. I love being in a hailstorm without an umbrella . . . in my bathing suit. (Metaphorically.)

6.) Not everyone on Planet E has the same seasons at the same time.
Christmas in Australia = sunshine. Christmas in Utah = snowy and chilly.

This is a funny thing because sometimes I don't like the "season" in my life. I don't like it much at all. So, I'll call a friend--with hopes that they will help me find the "joy" in the season. (Translation = commiserate with me.)

But so often my winter comes at a time when it's my friend's spring.

Yep. Come to find out it's sunny with a chance of more sunshine where they live.

While for me it's raining cats and ferrets.

That is always hard to understand. (But maybe if we all had the same seasons, we'd really lose faith/hope. LOL!)

7.) I have ZERO control over these seasons.
I cannot really influence the changing of these seasons in my life--when they come, when they go, how long they last, etc.

I may wish, pray, hope and dance for rain.

But that doesn't mean it will rain.

I may curse the snow on April 6th.

But that doesn't mean the sun will shine on April 7th.

I just have to trust that each year I will cycle through these periods of time marked by seasons, and enjoy each period for what it brings and what it teaches me.

But most of all, I need to be in the season I'm in. Not wish for a different one.

You know: Be here now.

So for me, my "here," that's in the snow right now.

And that's okay. There's good to be found in every season. And no matter what, I've got family, friends, some 4-legged friends, a sled, Bing Crosby, and some chocolate to help me weather it.

Everything's gonna be irie mon.

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And now that I'm done with that bit of psychosis, the Easter photos! I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter Sunday!