“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.” ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach
My friend, Amanda, got me interested in a daily blog called hip tranquil chick. It’s written by Amanda’s yoga teacher from her time in D.C. The quote above appeared today in the newsletter with the following question: “How would you like to emerge this Spring?”
This weekend New York City received the gift of 50 degree weather and buckets of sunshine. It was a little nippy in the shade, though those few afternoon hours that comprise the warmest parts of the day gave us a hint of what’s in store for Spring. I turned my face up to the sun today, and it felt like that was the first time we’d ever met.
I took myself over to Riverside Park. When it’s nice outside, I spend hours there watching the soccer leagues practice, reading a book, and listening to my ipod. I like to watch the world go by in that tiny corner of space. I heard snippets of conversations, watched friends and lovers and families pass by laughing, and secretly I held a tiny bit of jealousy for all the dog owners enjoying life with their canine pals. At that point I reminded myself that this summer I’m going to over to the local ASPCA to rescue a pup of my own.
As I looked out over the Hudson, I thought about that question, “How would I like to emerge this Spring?” And then very quickly the answer that followed was, “I don’t know.” I was reminded of my yoga teacher, Johanna, when she described how she came to yoga 6 years ago. She had been through a rough time, and her career as a dancer had ended due to an injury. She came to yoga for answers, and at first the only answer she found was, “I don’t know.” But in that unknown, she had the opportunity to re-invent herself, to re-invent her career and her place in the world. Within “I don’t know” there is a great freedom that exists. We open ourselves up to the world, to all of the energy around us, taking it in, and giving it the chance to transform our hearts and minds. Who knows what lies around the bend as Spring approaches.
I smiled at this thought of the unknown, of the treasures that lie in wait once our friend, Spring, arrives in full-force. I’m not sure how I will emerge or how my life will change once the buds are on the trees and the daffodils make their way to the surface of the gardens in Riverside Park. I do know that whatever those changes are, I will be ready to receive them, smiling.
Christa Avampato 