Crocuses have one important job to do each spring--to break through newly thawed ground with stalwart aliveness. Today, I saw a bud on the side of the road that was purple and dappled like leopard skin. I crouched next to her wondering if she might share of herself.

My heart heard this: "I have no idea how I got here, but I know how to rise up and bloom."

She reminded me that springing ahead takes an exuberant burst of will, especially after a hard winter. It's not easy to be the harbinger of fairer weather when coldness lingers. Yet crocuses do so no matter what havoc the ides of March wreak.

When we access our crocus nature, we, too, have strength against outer obstacles. We are able to grow without denying our vulnerability. Resuming our lives after covid requires us to get crocus-level clear about what we need to nourish ourselves right now. None of our back to basics efforts will create overnight change but we are signaling to our souls that spring has arrived.

In our delicate process of re-entry, it's nice to be reminded by nature how to do that with sunshine and tenderness.