In the 14th century, the season following winter was called “springing time” to refer to the period during which plants begin to rise. The vernal equinox is a time of freshness, youth, vitality and energy, when new faunas are born and new flora spring into being.
The change in weather uplifts our moods, and many cultural traditions honor this time of birth and rebirth. For example, the Hindu harvest festival of colors, Holi, is celebrated annually at the advent of the spring season and represents peace, forgiveness and good triumphing evil.
But spring is so much more than just one of the four seasons of the year — it is a season of life. As human beings, we are constantly maturing and flourishing through formative experiences, whether we are conscious of it or not.
But how do we come into the “spring” of our lives? What does it mean?
As a child, I was confused about the phrase “the real world,” because I didn’t understand how my perception of the world would differ as I grew up. Now I’ve realized that this saying describes the inevitable challenges people face as they navigate life.
Whether it is learning how to drive, embarking on your first romance, tasting your first sip of alcohol, having sex for the first time or traveling beyond your hometown, there are many experiences that force us to face reality that oppose the illusions and movie magic of childhood.
Sometimes we go through paradigm shifts that are so intense they completely change our outlook on everything. As we transition between the stages of life, it is natural to feel like a different version of yourself. That isn’t necessarily a bad or a good thing — it’s just a part of life.
Whenever torrential rains or windy hurricanes drift into your path, understand that these circumstances are lessons to learn from rather than regrets. Remember you can weather the storm even if there are no clear skies or rainbows on the immediate horizon.
Conversely, whenever the sun shines down to feed your petals, embrace it. Be mindful of the warmth. Understand that opportunities may not always present themselves in the way you expected, but you are in control of how you respond to them.
Additionally, there’s no need to compare your spring to others because there’s no standard for flowers. There’s no one way to be a human or to live your human life. In fact, there aren’t even two ways. The possibilities are unlimited.
Everyone’s life is on a different track, so all of our seasons will look different. Maybe your spring is just ending or maybe it is just beginning. Maybe you’re in the middle of it.
It doesn’t matter if you’re pursuing an internship, studying abroad, starting a new job or graduating. Maybe nothing particularly interesting is happening for you right now and you are simply focusing on being able to get out of bed every morning.
Regardless of what is going on in your life, what has gone on or what will go on, just know you have the power to view every new phase as a transformation and approach it with an open mind.
You will continue to learn, grow and become who you are, even at times when life seems confusing.
You are strong, you are capable and you will bloom too.
