Saturday, March 19, 2011

Spring has Sprung

One of the many blessings of the orbital mechanics of our planet, or more specifically, the combination of the tilting of the earth's axis with the elliptical path we transcribe around the sun, is the four seasons we enjoy.  I realize there are parts of the world where there really aren't the traditional four seasons as I grew to know them, being raised in the Midwest, and I feel sorry for those who are missing out on this wonderful aspect of life.  Sure, shovelling snow sucks, but look at the reward you get on the other end!

Spring is a great season for many reasons.  One of them is spring training, when baseball fans around the country eagerly anticipate the start of the new baseball season.  Even Cubs fans are allowed to have hope at this time of year, before the reality of another losing season settles in during the heat of summer.  Another positive is the arrival of daylight savings time.  This ingenious shifting of the hours of daylight from morning to evening was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin, which is ironic, considering he also coined the phrase "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise". 

I love the fact that there are enough hours of daylight left to enjoy outdoor activities after work, not to mention the warmer weather which makes such pursuits pleasant.  Into the closet goes the heavy coat and boots, out comes the light jacket.  (Total side note: When I was 5 I had a jean jacket with one of my dad's 101st Airborne patches sewn on it that I thought was the coolest thing.  I loved that jacket!  Sadly, I don't think I could pull off a jean jacket today.  Although it would be even harder to pull off the Incredible Hulk sunglasses I wore at that time.)

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the morning serenade of the birds and the greening of the botanical world around us, bringing a sensory feast of sight and sound to satiate the hungry mind that has fasted all winter on a diet of colorless quiet.  I love you spring!  Thanks for coming back again this year!  I'll see you outside!