What a wonderful world …
Spring Flower Weaving (Melinda Sinclair)
Spring has really arrived in Toronto. This last weekend was a perfect celebration of this arrival. The sun was shining. The sky was blue. It was definitively above freezing. Only very small patches of snow still hide in the deepest shady corners. Snowbells and crocusses are out in their early spring glory. Birds are singing and flitting around with gay abandon.
And as all this is happening, people are also shifting into a different mode. As we shed our heavy wintergear, we also also start looking up. Every single walk I did this weekend was notable for the smiles and greetings - from acquaintances and strangers alike. It’s as if the spring weather sparks a delight in people that bubbles up and needs to be shared as we pass one another on our walks.
The iconic Louis Armstrong song What a wonderful world just kept playing over and over in my mind. It feels really important to notice, appreciate and take delight in the beauty and joy of the spring awakening. Doing this feels like an important counter-point to be intentional about as we also absorb all the worrying news about the impact of climate change.
Noticing what a wonderful world it is helps us build our motivation to do what we can to ensure that these delights will in the future also be there for our children and grandchildren - and their children. Wonder and awe at the beauty around us - and in the delight of others - is a key ingredient in maintaining a sense of robust, active hope.
So, wherever your are (and whatever the season for you, for there is beauty and delight in them all): Look for the beauty and wonder around you in the natural world - however you can most easily access that. Appreciate it. Allow it to fill you with delight - even if it is just a small spark. And maybe share it with someone to amplify the delight.
And then you may want to listen again to Louis Armstrong’s singing about our wonderful world - and really take a moment to feel the wonder. What a wonderful world
