Spring  is truly in the air. Small buds of green showing where the sun
has melted the snow. And still lots and lots of snow. But that shall
melt and life shall again turn the page, to a new season. And how
precious is the spring. I just know how frugal Mom and Dad were
to save the precious seeds from season to season. They spent so
much time in the garden. As children growing up I know we all
dearly loved watching things grow. Isn't that interesting, growing up
and watching things grow. I guess that was the very very hard part
of losing our parents, our mentors - having to make those various
decisions on our own. Did we do this right? Did we do that right?
Were we using our heart or our brain or both in deciding what to do?
 So we continue....
journey into a world without those happy faces we could call
day or night for a word of encouragement, even for some criticism.
And today, the phone is silent. The room seems rather quiet, I put on
some music that perhaps Dad loved- his opera perhaps, or a country
tune, because Mom was always that special country girl, full of such
love and beauty. I sit at the piano and stare at the keys. They are silent.
I talk to Sandy, our trusting doggie companion who listens intently and
offers silent approval with her eyes. I notice our daughter doing some
household chores and hear my wife with a hammer putting up some new
curtains in the basement. Still, the house seems quiet and I feel alone,
and realize with spring I must be strong like those plants and start
lifting my head and my heart to the sun. Allowing that spirit of life and
birth of spring to help move my still hurting heart - forward. The journey
continues and so shall I. Much to write about, much to live for and much
to be thankful for. Now, just maybe I have moved from the dark corner
into the light and the good Lord is showing me the way. Yes, I shall
move on, start getting on with things-
I need to be part of the sunshine, part of the very
things that Mom and Dad would have wanted. Yes, I feel them here
even though they are not. In my thoughts, in my heart.

And yes, spring offers hope to us all, hope that we shall become the
type of person the Good Lord intended and that Mom and Dad
look down and see us turning the page of life as well. And yes,
the warmth of spring is upon us...so we continue...the way life
intended...and we are thankful to have our loving family about us,
the daily sounds of life- and yes, I hear the birds outside and the
quiet wind moving a few branches. And with that, I too, move on....
and turn the page.