Spring
As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, the sound of spring slowly awakens my senses from a long winter slumber. Even on those days when I feel like I’m still trapped under the thick ice, I can hear the faint whispers of the upcoming season. The sound of running water gradually grows louder, as if it’s rushing to welcome the festival of spring flowers. With each step I take, I can feel the cold wind disappearing and a warm spring breeze blowing in, carrying the sweet aroma of blooming flowers.
As I walk along the neighborhood trail, I am surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Plum blossoms, forsythias, cherry blossoms, and magnolias are just a few of the many flowers that grace my path. Each flower is unique, with its own personality and distinct fragrance. It’s as if each one is trying to outdo the other, vying for my attention and admiration.
People have given different names to these flowers, imbuing them with special meanings and significance. For example, the yellow Sansuyu represents eternal love, while the yellow forsythia symbolizes hope. When I was young, I planted yellow daffodils with my mother, hoping that the person I wanted to reconcile with would come back to me. Flowers have the power to convey our deepest emotions and desires, to speak the unspoken words that we sometimes struggle to express.
Spring is a season of rebirth, of new beginnings and fresh starts. Flowers are the embodiment of this spirit, the reproductive organs of plants that symbolize the perpetuation of life. Each flower is a pure and noble gesture, a statement of existence that withers and dies on its own. Early spring flowers struggle to bloom, taking root in the soil and fighting against the cold and harsh elements. But once they bloom, they spread their fragrance and bear seeds, passing on their legacy to future generations.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in our lives, disrupting the very fabric of our society. The obligation to wear masks and practice social distancing has led to the dismantling of family culture, as we are forced to communicate with each other through screens and devices. We may never return to the pre-corona world, but perhaps this is an opportunity for us to appreciate the beauty of nature and the power of human connection, to cherish the moments we have with our loved ones and to cultivate the seeds of hope and resilience within ourselves.
