It’s SPRING!!!!

Weeeha. Can you believe it? We are days away from Spring. I have been waiting to feel light and airy for months now. And here we are.

Last spring I played with Daffodils and Irises. Why I bypassed the Cherry Blossom, I do not know. Having lived in the DC area most of my life, I was always thrilled to visit the Tidal Basin around the Jefferson Memorial. The Japanese Cherry Trees in bloom are breathtaking.

Just like Spring, Cherry Blossoms symbolize renewal, hope and new beginnings. In addition, the meaning of cherry blossoms in Japan runs deep, making the country’s national flower a cultural icon revered around the world not just for its overwhelming beauty, but for its enduring expression of life, death and renewal.

Tied to the Buddhist themes of mortality, mindfulness and living in the present, Japanese cherry blossoms are a timeless metaphor for human existence. Blooming season is powerful, glorious and intoxicating, but tragically short-lived — a visual reminder that our lives, too, are fleeting.

We need to ask ourselves, Why don’t we marvel at our own passing time on earth with the same joy and passion [as the Cherry Blossom]? Why do we neglect to revel in life …. or in the grace surrounding us everywhere: It is time, cherry blossoms remind us, to “pay attention.”

I am excited by the new beginnings of This Spring and especially to walk about freely and mindful of my blessings.