It is often a sad truth, the obvious is not always so obvious.
Here I sit, so obsessed with chasing the Eternal Spring. Here I sit in the piedmont of North Carolina. And here I sit in what is quite possibly the most spectacular and translucent green Spring that one can imagine anywhere.
I don't know why it's taken this long to see. It's now early April, and, well I don't remember exactly when, but somewhere between mid to late February it all began.
I guess it just sorta sneaked up on me, but, here I sit, flush with that excitement I felt as a youth. That which a young man feels for his best girl. The confused buzz in his head, the tingle of anticipation, the racing of his heart at the sight of her.
Yes, it is love. It is pure "in the moment". And, as any good Buddhist will tell you, that is a wonderful place to be!
Banish the darkness. Those long and sometimes empty days. Rebirth! A new beginning. Rejoice! The sun... it's warmth caresses my now bare skin. It is bring out the shorts and short sleeves now. Finally! Out and about. Topless car rides. Just to walk. To ride the bike. The sun... yes... the sun!! All about the sun!
It can no longer be ignored. We are engulfed in an explosion of green. Ours is a city of trees, an urban forest. The city barely visable from above... so many trees.
And... it is their time! Blooming, blooming everywhere. The dogwoods, white puffy clouds against a backdrop of luminescent green. The riotous colors of pink, red and white azaleas. Carpets of color, the daffodils and tulips of spring having long since pushed forth and now in all their glorious color.
Oh, and yes... the pollen. Yes pollen! With our ubiquitous canopy erupting forth, we don't just have lots of pollen, we have seasons of pollen. The pines, the towering hardwoods, the grasses and all the other things that may bloom. Easily viewed as a nuisance, in fact often so bad you can write your name or wash me in it on the hood of your car, it is in fact natures guarantee of another Spring... of life suplanting death. With the tortous allergies of youth long behind me, the pollen is now but a token, a harbinger of the Spring I love so much.
The evening sun, beaming through the virgin canopy, still warm to my skin. It is the purest sort of green. I'm surrounded in it's soft glow. A room of stained glass... yes, that's the closest thing to compare.
If life is a series of rythms and events, this time is mine! The farmers markets open, signaling a change in my cusine. Gone are the heavy soups and stews, the meaty sauces, the roasted meats and root vegetables. Now comes the light. Fresh greens, salads, pastas with spring vegetables. And strawberries, glorious strawberries, they are on the way. Surely there can be no more perfect fruit. My drink, it too changes. Gone are those hearty brown ales, the powerful reds and sweet whites. Now is the time of full flavored lagers and pilsners, fruity roses and cool crisp whites. And of sweet southern ice tea, sometimes with fresh mint. My body, my tastes... they again begin to connect with the season.
The beds, the gardens, the yard... now comming alive, they need my attention. Not a chore, not at all. I'm out, I'm in my sun and I'm amidst the colors and smells of Spring. Time to clean and spiff the outdoor furniture, the grilles, the promise of many alfresco days ahead. And my little shop, I open it for the first time, all doors open, sun and breeze enter freely. Repairs to be made, new projects to be started.
No, absolutely not, none of this is a chore. It is joy. I'm in my moment. I'm going to savour every moment of it!
This, now my 32nd awakening here in the piedmont, an old friend. I think that here is where I came to define in my mind the Spring that is in "Eternal Spring".
It is this feeling that I chase.
KC
