I truly wish you could be with me today as I sit on the front porch, occasionally typing a bit, but mostly watching the glorious things taking place right in front of me.
The lilac bush outside the living room window was dead, from all appearances, just a few weeks ago. Now it is bursting with thousands of green buds, and leaves that are bigger and greener every single morning. Soon that bush will be covered with the lush purple, intoxicatingly scented flowers of spring.
Our two old maple trees, bare for so many months, are also now awakening, right on cue, and already providing shade and cover for the gray squirrels that make them their home.
To me it is amazing that, again this year, as in every year of life on earth before this year, everything around is simply coming back to life … as I said before, right on cue. Intelligent life forms, like wild birds and gophers and chipmunks and even mice will protect their unborn offspring, and selflessly give them birth and species-appropriate parenting, right here in the neighborhood. Even the ants have produced a new generation of tiny, instinct driven, food-gathering soldiers for their community. Bumblebees have already buzzed by my head, searching for food for that set of distant, but coming, colder months.
Longer days mean more hours of sun for those plants, ants, and animals, and for all the people jogging by our house in their shorts and sneakers, or on their motorcycles, or in their convertibles.
If I sit here long enough today, I can also witness the stillness of a beautiful Vermont dusk as the birds quiet down, and the traffic lessens. Directly in front of me will be the bright pinks, purples, and oranges of the sun as it kisses the horizon good night, tonight.
On many such evenings the moon and planets also give a show. I hope you noticed the “Flower Moon,” as an eclipse dyed the moon a rusty bronze last Sunday night, creating a spectacle only visible across North America, including in our own Vermont sky.
For now, it’s still afternoon, and the birds feasting at the neighbor’s feeders are still singing their songs out into the neighborhood. Right now, I feel truly blessed, by the big, beautiful things in my life, but also by these often-unnoticed details of spring, these million little miracles.
This entire natural scene reminds me of my favorite quote from Albert Einstein. He was once asked his opinion about the idea of miracles. His reply was: “Either nothing is a miracle, or EVERYTHING is a miracle.” You already know my viewpoint. EVERYTHING is a miracle.
Reader’s notice: If you want a real blessing, watch the short YouTube video titled: ‘Million Little Miracles,’ by Elevation Music and Maverick City. That song is just AMAZING! (Even Einstein would approve.)
Also, please consider getting my new autobiographical book, “Up on Heath Street,” available at Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback versions.