It has been a long cold winter. Maybe not drastically cold, but after 4 years without winter it seemed very hard. Getting used once more to toques (beanies for my Aus friends), gloves, parkas, mitts and boots does take some adjustment. However, some bonuses I guess: my car never got stuck in the snow, the one extremely cold weather event lasted for 10 days but it was the only one, and the power never went out so we were able to keep warm.
However in the past few weeks, spring has arrived. I have watched with glee a few tell tale signs of the changing of the season. Many rabbits are hopping around our town. I saw geese flying north, back from their winter holidays. Some patches of grass have turned green. Early spring flowers have shown there faces. My winter jacket has been replaced with a much lighter one. Spring is in the air.
However, I know I live in Alberta. A killing frost could happen at any time. Snow can happen anytime. Blossoms that come out too early might not make it. Spring will indeed come, but it might not be on my timeline. In Alberta, you just have to wait for it.
I think this is a great analogy for the world right now. The world has been somewhat dormant because of COVID 19. In some places, lately, the curve has seemed to have flattened. Many of us are getting that itchy feeling. We want to get back to what we have wanted to do- spending time with friends, going back to work, and going to the local shops. We are like the birds flying back from the south, the rabbits popping out of their burrows, and the fragile blossoms popping out of the cool earth.
We would do well though to heed the directions of the medical officials who are telling us that now is not the time to open things up. Yes in some areas, the numbers of people made sick from this virus are getting smaller, but the disease could flare up again at any time. It just takes one person who has the virus to infect a whole new batch of people. Like the tender flowers, we might want to get back out there. However, like the tender flowers, if we blossom too soon, we do so at our own peril. I am sure there will be a time when we are safe from this awful virus. However, like spring, it will happen on its own timeline and not mine. Be safe. Blessings.
