We have many springs
We see the promise of Spring even in November. Spring, from
November.
That promise is given to us more clearly in January.
And we see it in February, at Imbolc in the beginning, and in the middle,
when the geese arrive back on the lake.
In early March, the news tells us we are in meteorological Spring. And
in late March, Spring is shown to us again, when the Vernal Equinox, and
the ‘springing forward’ let us feel Spring, and the coming of April proves
to us that it’s here.
We feel the delight of Spring even into May. Spring from November,
Spring until May.
We have many Springs.
It’s dates in the calendar, and it is not dates in the Calendar. It has
everything to do with the weather, and it has little to do with the
weather. it is the warmth of the sun, and it is lightness and it is
temperature.
It is the longer days. It is high blue skies and white clouds. It is a quality
in the air. It is a feeling, a feeling we know and which goes beyond words.
It is a taste, a freshness, a clarity in the air. It is the desire to stop and
breathe in, rather than the need to put your face in your scarf and rush.
It is a smell; it is a sort of feeling. A fresh coldness different from the
winter’s cold. A scent, of new beginnings.
We have many Springs.
It is when we don’t have to defrost the car. It is Creme Eggs in the
shop. It’s leaving our hat, our scarf, our gloves, our big coat at home. It’s
watching Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, believing he might predict
the weather, and knowing he won’t. It’s wearing a tee-shirt outside. It’s
drying the washing outside. It’s swimming, outside, in water warmer than
your cold tap. It is lunch on the garden bench, and it is tea in the light.
It is getting up in the light and driving home without the car lights on. It
is evenings which are light, despite the snow and hail.
We have many Springs.
We see it in birds as they start to fly to-and-fro with twigs, ready to build
their nests; as they sing their hearts out; as they feed from our garden
feeders; and we see it with the first evening sighting of a rabbit. The
frogs in the pond and the lambs in the fields tell us that Spring is here.
We see it in snowdrops – beautiful winter flowers, but winter flowers
carrying to us the news that hellebores are not far behind, and daffodils
and crocuses and primroses, and tulips, and scyllas are following them. It
is knowing there will be bluebells. We see it in trees as they bud, we see
it in catkins, we taste it in when we nibble fresh hawthorn leaves.
Far from home, it is the flowering of tulip trees. We see it in the ground
as the garlic springs forth, reminding us that the earth will feed us.
We have many Springs.
We feel it in our very souls. We feel it when we think of Aslan on the
move. And it is intuition: we know it in our body and our spirit. It is the
lifting of our hearts. Lift up your hearts! We lift them up unto the sun.
We feel it when we start to expect, rather than to plod.
It is Lent, it is Candlemas, it is Easter, and like Easter, it moves. It is
Imbolc, it is St Brigid, it is the equinox.
We have many Springs.
Created by the Rev Kate Brady McKenna from many contributions, including
the line ‘We have many Springs’ from Val Chamberlain.
If you'd like to use this material…
Worship Words Licence
YOU ARE FREE TO:
– copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
– adapt, change and build upon the material for any purpose.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the licence terms.
UNDER THE FOLLOWING TERMS:
You must give appropriate credit in a reasonable manner. This means naming the author (if supplied), stating the title of the work (if supplied), and indicating if changes were made. This will not be in a way that suggests the author endorses you or your use.
You may not apply terms that restrict others from sharing the material in a way that the licence permits.
NOTES:
You do not have to comply with the licence for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
No warranties are given, the licence may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.