It’s that time of year again. When the Daffodils bloom, caterpillars turn into butterflies, and the grass becomes lush and verdant once again. Snow turns into rain, and the world blossoms with color.
There is something about spring, especially the beginning. There’s a certain smell in the air and a certain feel; It’s so nostalgic and wonderful. The temperature is perfect (well, at least some of the time, this is Cincinnati after all). It’s not to hot and not to cold, it provokes a sense of freedom and happiness.
While writing this, I am reminded of a poem by William Wordsworth. You’v probably heard it before:
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Now, I’m not a poet, but I’m pretty sure that the poet is writing about a time when he saw a beautiful field of daffodils and it made his day, he did not realize how much it had enriched him though, until he sat on his couch and the image of the daffodils came to him and the memory made him happy.
I’m sure this poem has other deep meanings but one of the things I like about this poem is how perfectly I think it describes spring. The happiness and joy we get from it’s simple beauty. The guy was having a bad day and a field of daffodils cheered him up. It more than cheered him up really, it left an impression on his mind that he sometimes goes back to when he’s alone. The sheer imagery and writing of the poem is also beautiful. I think it reflects the beauty of the season.
This spring, I urge you to put down the iPad and stop watching Netflix or stop looking at Facebook or twitter. Or if your lonely like the poet. Go outside and just sit and look and listen. Listen to the birds as they sing you a song, feel the gentle breeze on your face, look up at the dome of the sky and gasp in it’s blue enormity. Take in the fragrance of the flowers and feel the grass beneath your feet. Sit amidst the great beauty and let God entice your heart, and revel in His Mystery.
Written by Madalyn Hardig
