Spring Renewal

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It’s spring again and whether or not you celebrate any religious type of holiday this season, a change is surely underway.

Even for those who live in mild climates where the seasons don’t change quite so dramatically as they do in the northeast, spring brings a difference with it; new types of flowers poke their pretty little faces up from the earth below, the sun sits differently in the sky, and layers of emotion and clothing fall away, leaving us all a little lighter.

Some wonderful rituals can go along with this joyous season. Many of us think of spring cleaning as a way to get ready for the summer. We clean out our houses and our closets, getting rid of snow boots that the kids have outgrown and sweaters that kept us cozy but which show the months of hot chocolate and coffee spilled down their fronts. Spring cleaning can mean more than just getting rid of junk, it can help you refocus your energy and take away some of the clutter of your mind as well as your home. It’s also a terrific way to give back to the community. Dropping off your gently used goods at a local thrift store, Goodwill or Salvation Army is a positive step in recycling your items for the good of others.

Another way to celebrate spring is to begin walking more. As gas prices climb ever higher, with still no end in sight, more and more of us will look toward alternate means of transportation as a way of getting where we need to go. It’s not realistic to walk to work for everyone, but certainly taking a few more steps now that the sun’s coming back to town can feel so good it’s practically amazing.

We forget, now and then, especially those of us in car-dependent towns and suburbs, how simple, refreshing and meditative a long walk can really be.

Finally, take some early spring photographs. You can use that high tech camera you have hiding in the closet or if you don’t have a high tech camera, using your phone these days is pretty good, and, barring that option, buy a disposable ten dollar camera and shoot away. Taking early spring pictures can reconnect you with some of your long lost favorite things – perhaps even things you have forgotten about during the long winter. Daffodils, tulips, deer at dawn (yes, we’ve seen them frequently on our road), birds that suddenly need to sing to breathe again and are looking for food from your feeder! How gorgeous they are, how much you’ve missed them without even realizing it.

Clean
Walk
Photograph.
Welcome back to spring!

Aimee Boyle lives and writes on the beautiful shoreline of CT. She is a regular contributor to EmpowHER.

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.