What is Spring... If not Hope???

This sign at the front of our church in Hillsdale really says so very much to "Me." Hope is a faith-based support to enable one to make sense of life's many problems and to endure. It is not a passport which exempts one from the suffering. 

I have been revelling in observing the multitude of sudden new changes here in Rockport this past week. Everywhere... there are signs that, despite the presence of much remaining snow... sudden new changes  seem to fill each hour of each day. All of these signs draw one to conclude that Spring has indeed finally arrived!

The skies are filled with continuous ever-noisy skeins of thousands of northward bound Canada Geese on the way to their summer breeding grounds in the northernmost  reaches of Ontario. That unique "Goose Music" never fails to leave one filled with awe and it arouses the very same fire and excitement which each flock bugles constantly... as they push on to their summer breeding grounds. One feels as much a part of the change... as the geese do themselves. It is so uplifting to watch the cycle of change and feel life being reborn... Renewal! 

Resurrection seems an appropriate celebration to correspond with the coming of Spring. I have always wondered... Could it have been planned thus? Easter and Spring are synonymous symbolically... and perhaps intentionally. Who knows?... and would accurate dates really matter, or discredit the Christian celebration of Christ's rising up? Not for me.

Both celebrations centre fully upon Hope... and Life after death. Spring signals the regeneration of plants... birth of new animals and birds... a returning to longer periods of daily light. Easter as well celebrates a promise of ever-lasting life through Christ's sacrifice for Mankind. Regardless of one's religious persuasion... Spring with its obvious mystery and wonder offers witness to the "possibility" of that promise mentioned. Whether one chooses to "believe"... remains personal choice... based perhaps on simply Faith alone.

I choose to live each day in Faith and Hope... that the mystery which  I have observed, always with awe and wonder throughout my entire life will lead .... (somewhere???) beyond life and the plane of awareness as it exists here on earth. I cannot... after so closely observing and being a part of life here, deny the existence of Creator ... or Creation. I accept... that it merely "is"... and "I"... "am" but a very small part of it.

I wish everyone Happy Easter! May you find Peace... Happiness... Purpose and the same Hope that I have found in my own life and chosen work! Keep the Faith...and

Good Painting ... To ALL!!
Rich Blessings..

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 A New Moon rising in Rockport last evening... and with it... our Hope for further success and Happiness in our new personal and business lives. We are truly blessed to be Home!

This American Robin... with his uplifting "Cheer-up!" song one only one of vast legions of his kind who are now back and bobbing about our lawn!

Just one undulating skein of migrating Noisy... excited Canadas... thousands of feet up in the air.... themselves... headin' Home!

One large raft of flight-weary Canadas...resting... until they take to the air once more... more than likely not touching down again until they have reached their final destination at James Bay in  the High North. 

 Tight formation... constantly honking...reassuring each other and urging the flock in unison... onward!

These long... undulating masses of birds are Snow Geese headed to Quebec and then North as far as Ungava Bay where the summer. They are called "wavies" by the northern First Peoples, who hunt them and depend upon them for food and their goose down to fill their clothing. When one sees them... they so resemble white sheets on a wash line being waved up and down by the wind.  Native hunters actually wave white sheets in their blinds to decoy the birds to their awaiting guns.

These are but a few of the wonderful changes that I have enjoyed this past week. For those of you who might not be privileged to see these things... I offer them to further understand my own enthusiasm and joy in watching Spring finally arrive!

"Hoppy" Easter!!!