“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” –Pablo Neruda
Here in Ohio, spring weather requires that you leave the house prepared for warm weather, rain showers, and even snow—perhaps all in the same day. There are those that love spring and all that it brings—the bright days, the blooming flowers, the thunderstorms, and the sheer unpredictability of the season are only equaled by those that prefer the calm of summer months or early fall mornings. Spring may offer the opportunity for an afternoon beer on the patio or fierce winds that cause you to run for cover as nature negotiates how to cross over from winter to summer.
As we enter another unpredictable week in the world, let’s take a few lessons from the spring season. Prepare for anything to happen, and to happen quickly. Enjoy the bright spots and don’t hesitate to pause to take advantage of good weather or stop to see the green shoots in your community or the business springing up all around you. Pay attention to both those that gravitate toward the volatility and those that are made anxious by the changes underway—both need your leadership.
This year, perhaps more than most, spring signals that a transition is underway. The bridge between dormancy, or even dark times, isn’t easy, but calmer waters and even better times lie ahead. Whether you are having a record year or undertaking great changes, I suggest that you use mother nature as a reminder that change is constant and necessary.
Let’s have a great week of lifting each other up and don’t forget your coat!
-Kenny McDonald