Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Thoughts of Spring


Spring is here!  At last.  Yesterday was a deliciously warm day.  And while there are no guarantees it's going to stick around, considering the weather's recent habit of jumping back and forth between spring and winter--and apparently being unable to make up it's mind what season it wants to be in--still, it's here now!  So let's enjoy it!


I don't know why, but a change of season always makes me feel nostalgic.  (There's that word for you, Cordy.  You're welcome.  *wink*)  And the coming of Spring, especially, has a  remarkable way of throwing me back to my childhood, and filling my mind with wistful, happy memories of bygone days.  

["Heehee.  She's trying so hard to sound poetic."  "Oh, hush."]

You know.  The kind of memories which are more feelings than anything else.  You feel the memory rather than think it.  It's hard to describe, but it's like a beautiful, haunting piece of music, wafting over you in a golden (there's a word for you, Naomi!), delicious dance of exquisite joy.  Indescribable feelings, and yet so real.  And so familiar. 

["Did you notice?  You put 'golden' and 'delicious' together.  You're making me hungry."  "What are you talking about?"  "Golden Delicious.  That's a type of apple."  "Oh, please."]

Where was I?  Oh, yes.  Spring feelings...

Happy, contented, comfortable feelings.   

The sort of feelings that go along with reading a good book while sitting in a warm patch of sunlight on your parents' bedroom floor.  Or getting up early, going out onto the porch to eat your breakfast, and basking in the warmth of the morning sunshine with no walls or windows to separate it from you.   The sort of feelings that bring back thoughts of carefree days when you were little and had nothing more to worry about than how Sibling no. 1 wouldn't play with you when you were "so bored";  and Sibling no. 2 wanted to play with you too much, and  you were just plain "tired of it."


You feel young when Spring shows up.  Young and adventurous and invigorated and happy.  It's as if Spring is intrinsically linked with all the best and most joyful memories of your childhood, and every time it makes an appearance it brings those memories to the forefront of your mind.  Brightening your life with the remembrance of them.  

["Uh, pardon me, but is that the proper use of the word "intrinsically"?"  "I don't know.  It sounded good, so I used it.  Now, please stop interrupting.  I am attempting to convey some very beautiful thoughts and you're messing me up."   "Sorry."]

Now, of course, there will always be a slight twinge of sadness that comes with these memories because the act of recalling those happy days gone forever does have a way of bringing the threat of tears to ones eyes.  I know this from experience.  And I suppose I could follow Flora Finching's example and not recall them at all, but then...well, she wasn't very good at following her own advice, was she?  So why should I?  (You know. "Those dear, dead days gone forever, never to be recalled"...except perhaps six-hundred-thousand times a day.  'Hem.)  Anyway, I enjoy being sad sometimes, ["and this is turning into a veeerrry sad post, because she's making veeerrry little sense"] and I think the happiness of these sorts of memories far outweighs the sadness of them.  Don't you?  ["You lost me.  I have no idea what you're talking about."  "Well, if you would stop butting in, it might make more sense."  "Highly doubtful, my dear."]

Now, as I've decided not to follow Flora's example and make believe that I am squashing the memories that are so dear... ["...but, alas, so dead."  "You're on a roll today, aren't you? Blabber-mouth."] Ahem.  As I was saying, I've decided not to follow Flora's example, and so I'm afraid you're all in for a very boring recital of what Spring fever does to my brain.  ["A-hem.  What brain?"  "I refuse to comment on that remark."  "Only because you're stumped and haven't got a good comeback.  Haha!  Very good.  I win!"  "Oh, honestly."]

Moving on...


Spring.

Oooh!  How I love it!

It's a time for doing lazy things in the mornings, like playing board games with your siblings, running in and out of the house for no reason, relaxing on the swings while talking carelessly about simple every-day nonsense.

It's a time for organizing one's room.  For sitting on the floor with your older sister and going through all your miscellaneous junk...I mean...miscellaneous treasures.  Talking and laughing uproariously, and every so often breaking out into a pretend fight over something ridiculous just because that's a fun thing to do; all the while letting your voices rise higher and higher until finally your dad calls up the stairs, saying something about "those silly Bennet sisters," whereat you decide you'd better tone things down a little or risk losing your good reputations forever.  ;)



Springtime and babies.  They go together.  Don't ask me why, but a good solid spring morning is just the ticket for whisking my thoughts back to memories of holding my newest sibling in my arms--smelling the sweet scent of him, and feeling the comfort of his little bundled form pressed against my heart.  Oooh!  Seven years is too long a time not to have a baby in the house. 

Those dear, dead days gone forever...

...but forever to be recalled.


Spring is also a good time for re-watching all one's favorite, most nostalgic movies.  For recalling all the fun you and your siblings used to have pretending to be the characters in those films; and for laughing over how the older siblings always got the first choice of who they wanted to be, while the younger ones had to settle for characters like Lydia Bennett...or Josie Pye.  (No, I'm not bitter.  Honestly.  Even playing the bad girls can become a fond memory.)

Speaking of playing, that's another thing about Spring.  There's something in the air which makes me want to enjoy all over again the games which as a child used to be so thrilling to me.  Paper doll games, dress-up games, tag around the house.  And yet it's true, those days really are gone.  I've grown up.  ["And grown boring."  "Yes, exactly."]  I can't play those games anymore.  But I'm so happy for all the fond memories of them; and I will continue to be happy every single year when Spring rolls around, bringing with it a fresh sense of thankfulness for all that I've been given.  

I am extraordinarily blessed. 

["Even with me around."  "Yes, even with you, you little annoying second voice in my head--which isn't really annoying because I have too much fun with you.  But don't tell yourself I said that."  "Oh, I won't!  Mum's the word."]


"He has made everything appropriate in its time.  He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.  I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor--it is the gift of God."
~Ecclesiastes 3:11-12

 Happy Spring, everyone!!


How's the weather where you live?
What sort of feelings do you get when you catch that first whiff of Spring?

20 comments:

  1. Ahhh...spring is SO beautiful! And I think it's finally decided to show it's face around here ;)

    Also wanted to let you know that I tagged you for the Liebster Award. If you're interested, you can check it out here:
    http://countingyourblessingsonebyone.blogspot.ca/2016/04/liebster-awardtake-2.html

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    1. Oh, how delightful! I LOVE tags! Thanks so much, Blessing Counter. I'm going to go check it out! :)

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  2. This was lovely! Truly. I LOVE Spring!!! It's my favourite. This was a beautiful tribute, even with (especially because of) your second voice piping up. It always amuses me when you put down what your other voice is saying. :) Happy Spring!

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    1. Aww. Thanks, Rae! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. That makes me very happy!! :D

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  3. I love spring so much!! This was beautiful! And I know just what you mean about the memories . . . especially the ones about baby siblings. It's been six years since we had a baby in our family. It kind of makes me sad, as I just LOVE to take care of babies and I'm not really old enough to get married and have my own. Besides, I haven't met anyone yet :P I was driving home the other day and there was a mother and her little boy in the car next to me, and they were playing and laughing together, and I just couldn't take my eyes off them. They looked so HAPPY. Finally the mother saw me and gave me a weird look, so I had to look away at last, and then the light changed, and I drove away. Anyway, random as that was, my point was that I miss having babies around :)

    And you know what, the whole time I was reading your post, whenever I came across the little voice in your head, I kept thinking in my head of that bit from The Pickwick Papers:

    "Pickvick and principle!"
    "Sam, be quiet."
    "Dumb as a drum vith a hole in it, sir."

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    1. Aww, Rosie, thank you for such a sweet comment! It brought a smile to my face. :D

      Oh, I know! What's life without babies? Growing up I was so used to always having a baby in the house, that it's weird now realizing that, that time of life is over. (How many younger siblings do you have again? I feel like I should know that, but I can't remember.) Haha. I stare at moms and their kids, too. Cant help it. ;) It's kind of sad sometimes, though--seeing young mothers with their children--because I SO want to be a mom myself, and well...I can't make it happen so I must just grin and bear it. ;)

      Haha! Really? I've never read The Pickwick Papers. I'm thinking I need to remedy that. Just the little snippet you shared was enough to make me chuckle. (Thanks, by the way, for including it in your comment. I needed a little laugh today.) :D

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  4. Lovely, amusing, heartwarming post! I can totally relate and loved how you said that memories come back as feelings, for that is very true. Smells brings back feelings for me, back to when my grandmother was alive and making us roast for dinner. Irises spring up in all the purple bearded glory bring me back to playing at her house. Re-runs of old films, pouring of iced tea, and traveling to our summer cabin come July--all these things that come with spring awaken memories. Thank you for this beautiful post!

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    1. Goodness. Your comment almost made me tear up. Memories are so precious. And yes, yes, yes. Smells are a HUGE connection to past memories. (Actually, it's funny you mentioned that, because Abby just did a post about that on her blog which I thought was a very accurate description of the significance of smells. Here's the link in case you want to check it out: http://violetcottage.blogspot.com/2016/04/smell-is-potent-wizard.html)

      Aww, yes. Memories of time spent with our grandparents are some of the best memories ever! :) Has it been a long time since your grandmother was alive? I lost my first grandparent just over a year ago. It was hard, but at the same time not as hard as I thought it would be. Maybe because he wasn't very happy here--he was starting to forget things and wasn't able to do as much as he used to do, so he was really ready to go home. And I think it was just a huge relief and joy to know that he was happy again. :)

      *blushes* Aww. I'm so glad you thought this a beautiful post. That is SUPER encouraging to me. (I have a habit of second guessing myself, and was starting to worry that this was possibly the worst post I'd written yet. hehe.) Thank you SO much for your comment! It made me very happy! :D (And sorry I wrote such a long comment in reply. I just don't know how to say things concisely. ;))

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  5. She IS sounding poetic *glares at cynical green voice*

    This post was so beautiful, Miss March :) And I could totally relate to it. Spring is my favorite season, and it calls up all sorts of delightful, delicious, slightly plaintive feelings/thoughts/memories.

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    1. Awwww. OLIVIA! You're the SWEETEST! -hugs-

      I admit I was really worried about this post. Whenever I try to be poetic it comes off sounding stiff and awkward (in my opinion, anyway). I'm so glad you thought it was good, though. That means so much to me! And I'm glad you can relate to this, too. "Slightly plaintive feelings." Oooh! That's a delicious description if ever there was one! :)

      Thank you for your comment! Actually, for all FOUR of your comments! I got them yesterday and they made me SO happy. And the thought of them was a little bright spot in my day today while I was at work. Thank you, thank you, my friend! :D

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  6. BAHHHH!! It's the terrible word but delightful feeling!! ;P Haha.

    Haha, that Golden Delicious joke! That's great. :D

    Oh, I loved reading about your feelings and thoughts about Spring. This entire post made for beautiful reading. In this case, ignore that nay-saying second voice of yours. This was splendid!

    ~Cordy

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    1. Haha! Sorry to do that to you, Cordy, dear...but like you said, it is a delightful feeling and I'm afraid I haven't any other word to describe it. ;P

      Haha! Thanks. I'm glad you thought it was funny. :D

      You mean it wasn't a total flop? My goodness! How my mind does deceive me. :) (Seriously, I really was worried that this was one of my worst posts on record. *sheepish grin* I know. I know. I worry to much. ;))

      Thank you, Cordy. I'm so happy you enjoyed this. That encourages me greatly. :D

      ~Miss March

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  7. Ohh, Miss March, what a lovely post! Aren't memories such precious things? They're bittersweet to look back on sometime, but I am very thankful for them. :)

    Ah, the games we used to play as children...my brother and I had SO many silly, imaginative games! We even had fun with a pair of rubber gloves one time. We filled them with water and tied off the ends to call them "glove men". I almost hesitate to tell you that...it sounds kind of embarrassing now. :P One of the best activities was playing with Legos, though. We used to play that for hooouurrss. I rather miss those days now. :(

    Happy Spring!! I'm so happy the weather has been nice for you. :)

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    1. Indeed, yes. And I've been blessed with so many happy memories. Far more than I deserve! It's true, they can be rather bittersweet to recall at times simply because those days are past and you can't get them back, but mostly they're just wonderful. :)

      Oh my goodness! Your "glove men"! I love that! That is SO dear, and just the sort of game my siblings and I would have played when we were younger. :D Embarrassing? No indeed! It literally made me laugh with delight inside! Thank you so much for sharing that story with me. :)

      LEGOS! We used to play with those a lot, too. And you're right, you can definitely spend hours at that sort of thing. :) Oh, I know. It's hard not to miss those days sometimes. :( I guess when you've had such a good childhood it's only natural that you should miss it every now and then.

      Thank you so much, Natalie! Your comments are the best!!

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    2. I'm very glad most of your memories are all wonderful, too. :)

      Hahaha, I'm very glad you enjoyed that! :D

      I know. :( I love where I'm at in life right now, but it is rather sad to have "left" those days forever. Have you seen North and South? There is a quote by Margaret where she says, "Try as we might...happy as we were...we can never go back." That just came to mind as I was typing this and thought it fit quite well. :)

      Awww, thank you!!!!

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    3. No, I haven't seen North and South yet. That is definitely on my to-see list, though. :)

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    4. Oh, I hope you like it when you watch it! My mom and I definitely rate it as one of our top favorites. :)

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    5. I hope so, too. I've heard a lot of good things about it. :)

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  8. Sorry I've taken ssooo long to comment on this, Miss March. I've been away on holidays, and then been busy with school. But now I'm here! :)

    This was all very delightfully amusing to read. And I could relate to SO many things! These two lines cracked me up the most:
    ["Did you notice? You put 'golden' and 'delicious' together. You're making me hungry." "What are you talking about?" "Golden Delicious. That's a type of apple."
    "The sort of feelings that bring back thoughts of carefree days when you were little and had nothing more to worry about than how Sibling no. 1 wouldn't play with you when you were "so bored"; and Sibling no. 2 wanted to play with you too much, and you were just plain "tired of it.""
    Dear me, I'm rather guilty of the latter. ;) Not now, (I should hope!), but when I was younger... maybe most kids do, though. Hehe.

    It's been 7 years since you had a baby in your family?! Our baby is six. :(

    Flora Finching is a most amusing character. ;P

    It's late, and I should be in bed, so I must finish this off. The weather here, at the moment, is cooling down. I hope it cools down much more, because it certainly doesn't feel cool enough to be autumn, right now. >:/

    The first thing that comes to my mind when I catch that first whiff of spring is "FREEDOM!" (You can translate as freedom from school or freedom from wearing shoes or freedom from whatever you like. That's just the first thing I think of. ;P)

    ~Miss Meg

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    1. Oh, no worries, Miss Meg! I'm always happy to hear from you, anytime!! :) I hope you had an enjoyable holidays!!

      I'm so glad you found this post amusing, and that you were able to relate to it! That makes it all worth writing! Haha! I know, right? All those trials we had to endure as children. -sigh- ;)

      Your baby is six? Aww. I guess you can understand what I mean then. Things just aren't the same without a baby in the house. :(

      Oh, is it autumn where you live? That's so funny. Here I am celebrating spring and warm weather, and you're ready for the weather to turn cold again. :)

      "...freedom from school or freedom from wearing shoes..." Haha. Yes, indeed. Hear, hear!! I always love it when it gets warm enough to go outside without shoes. And as to school...oh! I'm just so happy I don't have to wait for spring to be free from THAT anymore. ;)(heehee.)

      ~Miss March

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