One of my favorite things about living in the Midwest are the seasons. At the turn of each season, I get excited about the changes coming in the weather. Then, two months in, I’m ready for the next. It’s about that time of Winter, so that must mean Spring is coming!

While this Winter has had its storms and cold, it hasn’t been as harsh as other years. When that happens, I tend to not appreciate the coming as Spring as much and dread the coming of construction and allergies – two inevitables it seems. But several years ago, my sister and I took a road trip to see family down South. It had been a particularly long, cold, and wintery Winter so the further south we drove, the more excited we became to see green. We even took a picture of the first green grass we spotted!

With the changing seasons comes variety, something new to look forward to. With the advent of Spring, there’s warmer weather and more sunshine. Soft rains and adrenaline inducing storms. The flowers begin to peek up their heads and the birds return. Spring has the feeling of smiles, the hope of returning life.

Meanwhile we leave something behind. Sometimes that’s nice, like the Winter’s bitter cold or the need for ten layers in order to step outside to grab the newspaper. But sometimes what we leave behind are warmer things, like soft sweaters and comfort food like stew and soup. But doing without them for a while helps us anticipate their return.

Midwesterners seem to be experts at condemning the weather unless its 65 and sunny. Maybe 75 and sunny. Perhaps it’s because we have so few ‘perfect’ days. Each season has something we don’t like: snow and cold, rain and chill, hot and humid, or frosty and wet. And this time of year is the easiest to do the most complaining. The cold is hanging on, but not in a beautiful, anticipatory way. Instead, it’s damp and cold and dreary, like a wet blanket with Eeyore knocking at the door, and it gets into our bones.

But Spring is coming. It’s the herald of new beginnings and brighter things to come. There really is nothing like green after months of brown or white. Maybe that’s why Chicago loves to dye the river green for St. Patty’s Day. And, while it feels like the Groundhog often has unsatisfactory future-seeing abilities, March’s Lion and Lamb seem to be more accurate. Which is great for us because March 1st held a snow storm, so only a few more weeks before March goes out like a lamb.