Springtime

We got sunbreaks today,and after I went to the store, I stopped by the zoo, the section outside the fence directly to the south just off of Phinney and 50th. I’d been wondering what I’d find to take photos of that would stand for the arrival of spring. I’ve never been so aware of its arrival. Trembling, buds everywhere crane their necks toward the sun, hoping to finally put winter behind them. Daffodils clustered in bunches caught my eye as I turned onto 50th and immediately pulled into a space on the street. I grabbed my camera, hopped out of my car and jay-walked.

I was hoping for something besides daffodils, but then I thought, let’s just pay attention to what’s here. Ever noticed (I’m sure you have) how these poor flowers just can’t hold their necks up? Beauty is just too heavy to manage. As buds, all floral in potential, they stretch up straight with all the hope of youth. But give them their full clothes and they can’t help but lean. Today I got the feeling they were watching cars going by, drinking in all they could before they withered.

“Even when it’s here, it’s going by.” That’s a line from David Wilcox, and I think of it often. The Bible says our lives are like grass, like vapor. And watching the dawn of Spring both thrills and sobers me; I have seen the winter. I know these beauties are here only for a season, and yet, Solomon wasn’t arrayed like one of these. Yes, I know Jesus talked about lilies, and I’ll go find some of those for Easter, I suppose, but just now, I’ll bet Solomon couldn’t stand up to these either.

…I love yellow…