Spring is finally here and it’s a breath of fresh air

Exeter Examiner Editor - Dan Rolph.

By Dan Rolph

It has been a long time coming, but spring has finally arrived.

I don’t mean the official changing of the season that we mark on our calendars in mid-March each year. I think we are all more than aware of how often that date proves optimistic, at least as far as the weather is concerned.

Of course, I’m referring to the long-awaited shift in temperatures that makes many of us let out a collective sigh of relief as we say “goodbye” to chilly winter days and snow tires and “hello” to some much-needed time outdoors.

This year, our region has had a particularly challenging time shaking off the remnants of winter. Waking up to icy days in April and barren trees in May has felt like a lingering threat, leaving us wondering if we’ve really had our last snowfall of the season.

But now, it appears that time is behind us. The forecasts are full of warm days, the trees are green and the silence of the cold has been replaced with the sounds of rustling leaves and the calls of birds.

For my wife and I, birds have become the focal point of our spring after we installed a set of bird feeders at our home.

So far, it seems like several grackles have been attempting to claim our feeders as their own, but a surprisingly fearless pair of mourning doves have become our home’s protectors, keeping the grackles at bay and leaving room for the smaller birds to get their fill.

It might seem like a trivial thing, but a long winter has a way of making us appreciate these moments in a way I feel we often lose sight of later in the year.

I think that may be one of the best parts of spring. It renews our appreciation for the world around us. It makes us yearn for the little joys that we can forget to value. After months of bundling up and bracing against the cold, there’s something comforting about seeing life return to the world around us.

In this modern age there are always plenty of distractions competing for our attention, and it’s easy to let seasons pass without really taking them in.

But if spring offers us anything, maybe it’s a reminder to step outside, look around and make room for a few simple pleasures before we’re once again trapped inside.

Whatever your best version of spring looks like, I hope you can find a few moments to enjoy it.

Correction

The May 21 issue of the Exeter Examiner included the article “Memorial Windows of Crediton United Church: Great love hath no man…” by David Yates on page 22. The article misidentifies the church that is the focus of the story. The memorial stained-glass windows are found in Centralia United Church at 197 Victoria Drive. The Exeter Examiner regrets the publication of this error.