This morning was pleasant enough to drive to work with the windows down just to feel the fresh air blowing through. The birds were chirping as I parked my car, and I could smell the scent of earth ready to come to life with flowers and green grass. That’s right, it’s finally spring!
Spring is all about rebirth, rejuvenation, and restoration. What better time to face life anew either after or going through a divorce?
Spring has many well-known events and popular sayings associated with it. Let’s consider some of these as they relate to starting over after the end of a marriage:
Spring cleaning. Even if you’re not a meticulous housekeeper, something about nature transitioning from drab to fab inspires most people to de-clutter, delve into the nooks and crannies to remove the dust and cobwebs, and purge unwanted items to charity or the garbage. Spring, then, is the ideal time to shake the debris out of your life!
If you’ve been hanging onto melancholy feelings from your break-up or not yet been willing to release your grip on a defunct relationship, now is the time to open yourself up for a good cleansing of body and soul! Find ways to refresh all areas of your life from home, wardrobe, and outlook. Pull back the veil of sadness on your life to let the sun shine in, and shovel the trash of the past out of your existence!
Spring forward. People remember to change their clocks for daylight savings with the catchy slogan ”spring forward, fall back” (as in clocks are set an hour ahead in the spring and an hour behind in the fall). Consider adopting “spring forward” as your mantra for your new life outlook! There’s no use in looking back or being hung up on anything in the past. From here on, the momentum should carry you forward toward new possibilities and a brighter future. Spring forward, indeed!
April showers bring May flowers. This old gem refers to the typical rainy weather one might expect in early spring that prepares seed and soil to yield beautiful blooms come May. In a way, you might see parallels in your own life as the tears (aka showers) you have shed during the collapse of your marriage make way for better things to blossom later.
Rain, itself, has a soothing and cleansing effect, just as tears wash away pain and dark memories. Cry your tears, but when the drops no longer flow, allow yourself to take in the beauty all around you. The seeds of your efforts today will produce things you can enjoy and benefit from tomorrow!
Spring break. Why is a respite from the drudgery of daily life only reserved for students? Traditionally, spring break is an annual holiday from school when many go on vacation or just kick up their heels and have some fun. There are two possible interpretations of spring break for those going through a divorce: 1) Spring break-up…hello! Now’s as good a time as any! 2) Interrupt the gloom of all things divorce with a much-needed break for some good times!
If you’ve been sitting on the fence wondering when to make your move, why not go for it during the season of re-birth? If you’re knee deep in the middle of divorce drudgery, the legal proceedings, ex games, and other fun times will still be there a bit longer, so there’s nothing lost in setting it all down for a week or so to let your focus drift onto different and more pleasant things! Go on a mini getaway with a good friend, plan a movie marathon of nothing but feel good musicals or comedies, or immerse yourself in a fun project, a heavenly massage, or other selfish indulgences.
In like a lion, out like a lamb. You may have heard your grandparents use this phrase to describe the transition from one season to another. In other words, the shift from winter to spring may be stormy and fierce, yet conclude in a mild and pleasant way. The same could be said for the passage of time through a divorce. At first, you may feel as though every aspect of your life is being attacked by a pack of wild animals, but life eventually mellows out, like a sweet little lamb.
Of course, sometimes the seasonal prognosis is in like a lamb, out like a lion because stormy weather is anticipated at the tail end of the season. Never fear if this more closely resembles your situation, because this may mean that you have the opportunity to emerge from your divorce as a strong and fearsome lion. Yes, you will have some battle scars from the ordeal, but each attack from your foes will forge you into a stronger and more confident warrior!
As you watch birds prepare their nests for eggs that will soon hatch and bring forth life, bulbs that hibernated all winter erupt into blooms of tulips and daffodils, and listen to the sounds of nature awaken, consider how your life is also transitioning. Dormant and barren becomes lush and fragrant. Eggs and wombs reveal innocence and youth. Fresh breezes and sunshine bring everyone out of their homes to bask in the beauty of spring. Your life may feel as though it’s been in the dark, shielded from warmth and light; but, just like seasons of time, it is a passing phase that can give way to positive new things! Embrace the coming changes and say farewell to the darkness. Spring is here!
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