Spring has sprung,
Fall has fell.
Winter’s here,
And it’s cold as…usual.
It was my first introduction to poetry. I was seven and all the second-grade boys thought the little poem was bold and smutty. We only recited it in the spring when we were feeling our oats. At seven, we knew nothing of hormones. Saying the poem made us feel animated and risky. Because of the unexpected last word of the poem, we could even say it out loud, not just in a quiet corner with only guys around. We were wound tight, restless, and its recitation gave us a release.
Spring is the season of brave and new. Azaleas come out on stage to show off their colors. Birds are courting with their whistles that sing “Hey, baby” songs to occupants of nearby branches. The dingy grass and bald trees sprout a pollen pandemic and then turn as green as a chameleon on its happy side.
A few weeks ago, I caught a quick glimpse of a red fox in edge of the woods near my house. But, this week the fox sat right near the road and watched me drive by. I was impressed with its courage and wondered if it was the “right” of spring giving the fox permission to show unambiguous bravery instead of relying on its customary timidity.
A tiny wren built its nest on top of a column at the corner of my house. It was well-protected from everything except the down spout of one of the gutters. One big rain and the little ones could float away. But the wren seemed unconcerned. The baby birds hatched and completed flight school before the next big rain. What optimism and daring. Spring has definitely sprung.
Spring is a time to renew your commitment to your customers. It is an opportunity to boldly go further than you have ever gone in surprising those you serve. Spring is your chance for a renaissance in the inventive attitude you bring to the experiences you create and maintain. Spring’s “get up and go” message invites us all to turn off the mute button, raise the shades, and go outside in the grass and breathe. It inspires us all to throw off the winter covers and governors. It beckons us to “spring forward.”