As soon as the bitter cold temps of winter give way to spring blossoms and warmer afternoons, our family heads outdoors for a hike. There's something about being cooped up inside during the winter months that gets us all raring to breathe in the brisk mountain air and catch the first signs of mountain brush and flora in bloom.
If you’ve read any of my recent posts, you know that our family of 8 have outgrown the house and the small little plot of suburbia we call home. We have the tiniest of yards. And, as you know...I have six boys…and they want nothing more than to be outside, and in the wild. The first sign of Spring is their invitation, and they always want to go for a hike.
Because we live in an area where we are close to mountains AND a river, we take our hikes up in the rocky foothills and sometimes down by the river where we have the largest continuous forest of giant cottonwoods. Most people appreciate the cottonwoods where we live in the summer and fall, when the leaves are vibrant and the forest is lush with life.
I find those seasons beautiful as well, but I’m especially fascinated with the small window of time in the spring, when, if you are careful to take notice, you can catch the forest coming alive, one tiny bud at a time. Springtime serves as a beautiful metaphor for change and growth in life. Spring reminds us that new life and new growth come after old things pass away. What’s quiet, dormant, and almost eerie, begins to show signs of growth, newness, and what is to come. And our family… taking refuge from weary winter hearts… hits the trails, and finds refreshing in the beautiful ways spring whispers hope to us.
We breathe deep, listen to the quiet sounds of nature, and bend to take note of the tiniest details and remember that growth takes time. The boys turn over rocks, climb and reach for new heights…stoop and bend to see what finds its way to the surface of Winter’s hard soil to breath Spring’s fresh air. And, we rejoice—not looking back to the bitter cold of where we’ve been, or looking too far ahead to what may blister us in the season come…
…and simply welcome Spring.
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