Spring has not sprung and winter is letting us know with a vengeance that it is not ready to go quietly. Cold weather just seems to exaggerate whatever is going on in our lives.  Somehow, flowers in bloom make everything else seem bearable. We can't make it happen, but wouldn't it be great if we could?

If you wake up without heat on a night it is a 0 degree wind chill, it's ok.  The sunshine will do its thing!  Poof! Flowers will start to grow.  If bad news arrives on a dreary day. It's ok.  The sun will come out to wake up the flowers. Sunshine and flowers are so cliche but so effective.

This year has been full of tragedy for so many people I know and love.  I lost two family members, one too young, and one very old. I'm about to lose another.  One of my friends is dealing with possibly losing her dear husband.  Winter makes these tragedies feel worse as it tends to make people not want to leave the house.  If we could get out and see each other on a beautiful day, these tragedies could be shared easily, and we wouldn't have to worry about the snow when planning a funeral. Snow was a factor in three of the funerals I attended this year which increased the anxiety of an already stressful situation.

But, I think we are over the hump and I'm pretty sure the light at the end of the tunnel is sunshine and not a freight train.  Just a few more weeks and we can emerge from hibernation and renew friendships with neighbors and all the people we have not made the effort to see because we haven't wanted to face the winter cold. We will feel the sun on our face, and the warm breeze blowing our hair. We get to wear flip flops again or no shoes at all.  We can walk on the beach in shorts.  And the best thing of all, we don't have to shovel any more snow.  But, wait, now we have to mow the lawn, and plant flowers, and water the lawn, and clean the grill, and paint the house, and slap the mosquitoes.

Yes, there is always work to do whatever season is here.  I guess it's a matter of preference, like everything else in life.  I prefer warm weather, so it never feels like work if I'm outside in the sun. Sunshine is rejuvenating, so I'm looking forward to lots of it.  My tragedies are not over, but the sun heals my wounded heart.  I can feel it on my skin, penetrating warmth that reaches my soul and soothes the pain. I am happy to see winter leave so the sun and flowers can brighten my every day.  I think we all need days that soothe us and remind us we are alive and grateful for whatever we find beautiful.  Whatever your preference is, we are really all the same.