Time

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength

 that will endure as long as life lasts.  There is something infinitely healing

 in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn

comes after night, and spring after winter".

Rachel Carson

There are many reasons to love nature, but the feeling of assurance is one that is so deeply rooted in us.  To know that  every year the seasons will come.  That day will break.  The sun will set.  In the spring after 9-11, I remember reading an article by a widow of a firefighter who died at the World Trade Center.  She wrote that with all the grieving, disbelief, and sadness that was being felt, the following spring she walked outside of her house and a daffodil was blooming.  Amidst this tragedy, the little flower still pushed through the soil to bloom like it had every year.  The terrorists did not stop it from blooming.  Life still carried on.  Nature is still in control.

We tend to lose with each new generation the understanding of the rhythm of nature.  Our forefathers understood and lived it.  It was the most important relationship they had.  Granted, new generations have technology and what we deem as sophistication, so therefore nature must seem archaic.   Most people don't seem to notice what nature is doing every day.  After all we have calendars and clocks at our fingertips, so why should we care when an oak tree starts to put on new leaves?  Or birds migrate?  Or daffodils bloom?  For the simple fact, that it does matter on a whole host of levels, the least being we are also a part of the earth.  The more in tune we are to what's happening to our environment, the better off we will be.

In my own garden, for some reason I measure the different seasons by just a few plants.  Although they are not the showiest, there is something about these certain plants blooming that brings a sense of contentment to me knowing that they are back again one more year.  For summer it is the crepe myrtle.  Each year I anticipate the blooming from late June-early July up here.  It is one of the first plants that I planted here and over the years has gotten really tall.  So tall in fact, I usually notice it is blooming by observing the flower petals fall from the tree and land on my deck.  I guess I made the mistake of planting it right next to the house and I end up sweeping petals the rest of the summer.  But even the sweeping is comforting.  It has become a yearly ritual that I would miss without the tree being where I planted it.  The blooming also signals to me that summer is well under way. 

In the fall of the year, although there are mums, asters and many other flowers blooming, like most people the leaves changing are the real indicator nature is switching seasons on us.  I suppose this is one of natures' rhythms that most all of us do pay attention to.  And how could we not!?  She really is quite the show-off then.  I have often wondered what our forefathers thought that time of year.  Leaves changing, weather getting colder.  Were they prepared for winter?  It wasn't as easy as turning up the thermostat then.  Funny how the seasons changing means different things to each generation.

The winter, nature slows us down.  We try as we might, but with inches and sometimes feet of snow on the ground, we are at her mercy.  Perhaps she knows what is best for us.  Winter is a good time for us to charge our inner batteries and for reflection of the past year.  Most of the plants have gone to sleep, it is our ancient signal from her this is the time of rest.

The spring is the daffodils for me.  I am usually so anxious for spring, that I am outside pulling back the leaves looking for any sign of new growth.  I usually get busy with spring clean up and before I realize it, there they are!  What a way for nature to wake us up.  Those yellow blossoms that just scream of renewal and a new gardening year approaching.  One can't keep from smiling. We are lucky nature bestows us with such a  gift each year.

To each one of us, it is perhaps a different plants' arrival that signifies time is marching on.  It can be a plant of our childhood.  One that reminds us of a family member.  A memorable moment in our own life.  Whatever it is, it is our personal connection to nature.  Hopefully we nourish that connection into a deeper relationship.  After all, we humans are just along for the ride...we're not driving.