April Showers . . .

    

     . . .  Bring May Flowers" is a common phrase most people are familiar with. Did you know it originated in the United Kingdom or Ireland? And that it serves as a reminder that even the most unpleasant things can bring about very enjoyable experiences? It is also a lesson in patience and holding an optimistic attitude while moving through unpleasant events in life. Such simple and familiar phrases are often spoken without considering where and why it was first coined. 
     The sound of a morning shower brought an early wake-up call that kicked my heart in gear. There is something very serene and gentle about a rain shower that seems to soothe my soul. Thunderstorms are another story and yet they, too, offer us the opportunity to ponder such acts of nature and consider how our heart feels during such events. For me, thunderstorms jolt loose stuck emotions that are ready to be addressed and moved through. In either cases, nature is offering us the opportunity to feel on a very deep level.
     This morning the sounds of nature brought my attention to the emotions of certain situations that I had put on the "back burner." I'm grateful to be examining these feelings with the gentleness of the morning shower, rather than the fury of a thunderstorm.
    And with these rains, everything is coming alive! That stirs my heart and spurs me on to focus on what is springing forth after the long winter months of silence. I'm ready for movement, play, gathering with those I love and accepting that it may look different than it was before Covid. And that's ok too! I am one of the fortunate ones that did not lose a loved one to this pandemic, how can I complain about having to modify activities, wear a mask or take a vaccine when multitudes have an empty space in their hearts from their losses. 
      As the rain falls in your neighborhood, consider counting your blessings, it just might bring more love and joy along with the flowers in May and color your world with beauty!