​For some in the Northern hemisphere, Spring-like weather has just begun.  For others of us, early Summer weather is slowly creeping into our forecasts.  Some of us may be over our Spring “Drunk” and well into a Spring “Hangover” while others are just starting to binge on Spring.  To all of us, I encourage you to enjoy Spring Responsibly.
 
When I was young, the annual appearance of Robins and Cedar Wax Wings were the first signs of Spring.  They would flock to the Chinaberry Trees in our backyard.  Over the winter, the remaining Chinaberries had fermented and made great food for migrating flocks of hungry birds.  Occasionally, one of the birds would over-indulge and would stumble around the yard unable to fly.  We believed they were drunk.  I suppose they were Spring Drunk.
 
The Spring Drunk refers to flying headlong into the newfound opportunities that warmer weather offers.  These opportunities lead to sore muscles, strained joints, sunburned skin, and injuries from accidents.  They can bring on a melancholy when the sun fails to shine or euphoria when it does.  Judgment can be impaired by over-confidence or plain old not-paying-attention.  Spring can cause us to miss out on the wonder and joy by a soul that “sloshes” from encounter to the next.  We may call it “going with the flow” of the season, but it may look and feel more like a Spring Drunk. 
 
Spring provides a bounty of blessings for each of us.  It speaks to our soul of hope and joy.  It encourages our mind to engage and remember.  It encourages our body to wake from its winter slumber and engage the world anew.  Stay aware of the traps that exist and enjoy your spring responsibly.

Enjoy Spring
 
Savoring Spring
 

​As my grandchildren might say, “Spring fever?  It’s a thing!”  It is real and, despite not having official standing as a medical or psychological diagnosis, you and I know that it’s a thing!
 
“This weather is so nice.  Do I really have to go to work?
 
Why can’t I wear shorts, a tee shirt, and sandals today.  It is supposed to get all the way up to 50 degrees?
 
I know I need to mow the grass, but where do you want to go for vacation this Summer?
 
No thanks, I am not hungry.  I think I will just take a walk in the park over my lunch hour.
 
Note to self, stop day dreaming and get back to work!
 
For most folks, Spring Fever is a brief period when we are easily distracted from responsibilities, especially when the weather is warming.  We feel drawn outside.  It is a “Stop and smell the flowers” kind of feeling.
 
Generally, this “fever” passes in time and we return to our usual routines.  However, we may have to deal with a missed deadline, a sunburn, or sore muscles before we get back on track.  At best it is a minor affliction.
 
For some, however, it can be more serious.  When it begins to seriously impact our health, it becomes a form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  Generally, this comes in the Fall and Winter when the Sunshine is scarce and we become depressed.  But Psychologists also recognize a Spring and Summer version.   The symptoms may include trouble sleeping, poor appetite, weight loss, and agitation or anxiety.  Some theorize that it grows out of an inability to enjoy a season that seems to make everyone else feel better.  People experiencing grief or unsettling changes in their loves may experience this as well as those who may be having health, relationship, or other challenges.  This can be quite serious and should be addressed by a mental health professional.
 
But most of us experience the milder and more common “Spring Fever” of story and song.  If you find yourself longing to be outside, lounging on a beach soaking up some rays, or simply day dreaming of what life could be, then enjoy your fever.  Let it help you adjust to the season of new life that surrounds you.  Enjoy and celebrate the gifts it brings.

​Be Present to the Season – Let it be exactly what it is.  We may regret that it is not moving quickly enough.  We may be so distracted by other concerns that it comes and goes with little notice.  So, let the season surround you just as it is, unhindered by our desires that it be something else.
 
Listen carefully – Listen to your inner responses to it.  Does it disturb or inspire you?  Does it spur memories or dreams?  Does it encourage you to engage or withdraw from it?  Let your responses to it teach you about yourself.
 
Celebrate – Receive its gifts with gratitude.
 
Springtime slips into our lives slowly and fades far too quickly.  Let it reawaken your body-mind-soul to possibilities and opportunities.

Spring Fever Is Real
 
The Moods of Spring
 
SAD and Spring and Summer​​

​With the warmer days and clear blue skies of Spring, our minds are tempted to wander off into daydreams.  We dream about new challenges and exotic destinations.  We envision ourselves doing something new and exciting or finding a place to relax and enjoy the weather. Day-dreaming is a natural part of the Spring experience.   The season invites us to become lost in the newness of life.  Is daydreaming a useless distraction or a healthy diversion?
 
I suppose it depends.  If our daydreaming allows us to avoid taking care of our needs, then it is a distraction.  But if it gives us room to celebrate the season and reap a greater sense of vitality, then it is a healthy diversion.
 
When I was a child, Springtime was a great adventure.  Richard and I would venture out and explore the woods behind the neighborhood or the creek at the bottom of the hill.  These places filled a 10-year old’s heart with wonder.  They offered challenging possibilities for adventure.  They might have the perfect site for a fort or mysteries that no other 10-year old had ever seen.  After being cooped up all winter, Springtime meant freedom, exploration, and discovery.
 
We can find those same experiences in our daydreams.  We can escape our daily routine and become Walter Mitty on safari or Peter Pan flying through Neverland.  We can explore the unasked questions that have lingered like gum stuck to our shoe.  We can discover that our world is far more interesting than either our to do list, bank account, or personal inventory has ever revealed.   Daydreaming allows us to celebrate life with freedom, exploration, and discovery.
 
As long as it is not a distraction, let us celebrate Spring by allowing the daydreams to carry us away, if only for a short trip into wonder.
 
“I try to maintain a healthy dose of daydreaming to remain sane.”  ~Florence Welch
 

​Let the Paradoxes out to play – Let those conflicting and seemingly opposite situations and circumstances both be true.  Allow the light and darkness of life to swirl together until a rainbow of new insights and ideas fill our mind.
 
Allow Your Mind to Wander – Let them stray from the path we walk every day.  What is behind that “tree” we generally ignore?  Pretend the limits of reason do not apply and explore the “why knots” in our lives.
 
Let New Connections Form – Let go of the image of life being a jigsaw puzzle and allow it to be more like a Lego set.  Let the pieces come together is new and imaginative ways.  Some things actually do fit together in ways we never imagined.
 
Learn the lessons the day dream has to teach us about ourselves and then return home.  What do your daydreams suggest about your needs and desires?  How do they suggest that you change the way you live “in the world”?
 
While daydreaming is an important part of the Springtime experience, be sure and come home to your life.  There are three other seasons, and each has a gift for us as long as we show up to receive it.

The Power of Daydreaming
 
The Lost Art of Daydreaming
 
Deliberate Daydreaming
 

​As a teenage boy in the 1960’s, I knew and appreciated the number associated with the following formula, 0 to 60 mph.  Your status and value as a human being in that car-centric culture depended on it.  Unfortunately, by flathead ’53 Ford with a three-speed manual trans did not really allow me much status or value.  Even with the addition of a slapstick on the floor, I could not compete with Jim’s ’68 GTO or even my best friend’s Barracuda.  It seemed that my best time could not measure up to those in the 10 second range.  0 to 60 mph is a good measurement for teenager’s cars.  However, it is not so good as an analogy for taking care of our body when Spring finally arrives.
 
When Spring comes we are eager to get outside and enjoy the warmth and sunshine.  Some are eager to get started on that tan or “beach body.”  For others, they cannot wait to get the flower beds and garden cleared of weeds and prepare the ground for a new crop or planting.  Many folks have grown weary of being inside and the “couch potato” existence of the last few months.  They hit the trails on foot and on bikes to stretch out and exercise bored muscles.  When these activities are guided by a teenager’s “0 – 60” mentality, bad things can happen.
 
A friend of mine in High School received a brand-new Corvette during his senior year.  It was clearly the coolest and most impressive car in the parking lot.  He was the envy of every teen in the school.  Unfortunately, he did not have his “Yellow Rocket” for very long.  In an attempt to prove his status and value, he put it in a ditch after reaching 60 mph on a gravel backroad.  He was not physically hurt, but is ego took a real pounding.  He did not take the time he needed to adjust to his new ride.  He had neither the reflexes nor the skills to handle that beast.  He was unprepared to push the limits.
 
In a similar way, we need to take the time to prepare our body for the coming of Spring.  We may want to do a few muscle-stretches before venturing into the yard.  We may want to rely on a fairly high SPF cream before challenging the Springtime sun.  We may want to adjust our expectations and goals before striking out on that first 10-mile trail or 50-mile bike ride.
 
0 – 60 is very tempting.  But with a little self-awareness and a solid dose of reality checking, we will be able to find our way into a number we can enjoy.  But for the first month or so, a little wisdom will help you reach the “10 second” goal much quicker.  It will help you avoid finding yourself in a “ditch.”

​Warming Up – Take the time to stretch winter-tightened muscles and loosen those still winter-bound joints.  Stretch just to the point of discomfort but short of pain.  Muscles and joints pushed deep into pain tend to overreact.  Allow them to warm with the temperature.
 
Setting Realistic Goals – Give yourself plenty of time to get through your Springtime activities.  Avoid full-timing your Springtime lifestyle.  Over goal-setting steals away the joy of Spring.
 
Play and Work Smart – Brute force is not the only way to get into the Spring of life.  Use the wheelbarrow rather than trying to carry that pile of brush.  Get help for those two-person jobs.  Hydrate yourself frequently.
 
Enjoy the Season – Above all, enjoy the season.  It is a time of new life.  Engage and celebrate all that is growing and blooming around you.  Allow it to create the energy to motivate you to get out and enjoy the day.

A Few Risks of Spring Time
 
The Importance of Warming Up
 
Staying Safe