By Sarah
On March 20th, winter came to a close. It was the first day of spring, characterized by sunny skies, a breezy wind, and pleasant weather in my town. I looked out the window and felt a mixture of emotions. Not only had this year been speeding through surprisingly quickly, but spring was always an interesting season for me.
As a child, I disliked spring because I was fully fixated on summer. I was dreaming for the days when I could lounge around in the heat or swim in cool water, tan and happy and void of responsibilities. Spring, to me, was a filler season between winter and summer. If I could just get through that, I’d have the break I desired.
As I grew older, however, I began to value the season of spring. I enjoyed walking to school amongst the freshly bloomed flowers and the sweet smell of blossoms. I loved the weather and the chirping birds outside by the window. Most significantly, I liked what it represented: blooming, rebirth, and a fresh start.
While winter is the season for flowers to die and trees to shed their leaves, spring is a time for newness. For me, it’s like a fresh start and a symbol of how quickly the year has progressed. Something I’ve liked to do is note the process of a flower blooming and then relate it to my own life. I like to create ideas and goals to develop the best version of myself. Following the steps a flower takes to grow in my own life has proved to be quite rewarding.
- Seed Stage
The plant life cycle always begins with a seed, capable of creating the flower itself. At the beginning of spring, I like to start small. Think of an idea, a passion, or a way that you want to better yourself. Keep that idea in the back of your mind, recognizing that it has the potential to grow.
- Germination
When a seed hits the ground, it requires warmth, water, and sometimes light to germinate. Absorbing these nutrients, the seed swells and its roots push into the soil, emerging its first leaves. Thus, in our own lives, we should take our ideas or interests and give them nutrients. Research them. Put time into them. Allow them to germinate and begin the process of growth, pushing into action.
- Growth
To grow, flowers go through photosynthesis, converting sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into food. The stems, leaves, and roots grow quickly, developing flower buds. For your idea to grow, utilize photosynthesis. Convert challenges, motivations, and hardships into food for thought. Continue to work to better yourself and those around you.
- Reproduction
Inside the bud, a flower has formed. Eventually, the bud opens and blossoms into a complete flower, with bright petals, fragrance, and attractiveness to pollinators. Fruit-bearing plants will even produce fruit. With the ability to reproduce, you should focus on replicating your ideas. For instance, if you’ve set a goal to run each morning, how will you work to replicate this activity? How will you continue this mindset?
- Pollination
Plants depend on pollinators such as insects, birds, wind, water, and more to cultivate growth. To do so, plants evolve to have sweet-smelling nectar, petals, and more. Similarly, in order to attract pollinators in your life, make sure to share your perspective. For instance, are you passionate about improving your self-confidence this spring? Then tell people about it! Others taking interest in your passions will help you stay on track and share your message.
- Spreading Seeds
The final stage of the flower life cycle is seed spreading. Seeds can be scattered by the wind, transported on animal fur, moved by water, or even replanted by humans. Once a seed lands on the ground, the process starts all over again. For you, as you are working to fulfill your goal or passion, ensure that your ideas have spread. Have you implemented them completely into your life? Are others picking up on it? The seed of a great idea has the potential to bloom in someone else’s life, which is the beauty of this cycle.
Ultimately, there is no time to start fresh like spring. In winter, we shed the burdens of our past experiences and feelings. Now, it’s our time to try something new!
So this spring, in a similar fashion to my New Year’s Resolutions, I am going to work on cleaning my space, getting sleep, and being kinder to myself. Through the cycle of seeding, germination, growth, reproduction, pollination, and spreading, a change can be implemented in my life, just like the flowers in the soil on my walk to school.
THE SISTER SITE 