The Rights of Spring

Spring is almost here. I wouldn't have suspected that this morning as I made my way to a car shaped mound of snow in a manner that can only be called trudging. The sunlight glinted brightly off the brilliant white pile that I wished to drive. Above me, the sky was a deep blue with high, flat winter clouds. Birds sang all about as squirrels frolicked. It was sick. I had to struggle to maintain my bad mood. I prevailed. I let the car warm up and brushed off the powdery build up from the night before and managed to coat my legs with snow. All efforts to brush the snow from my legs before I got into the car were for naught. Driving in a creeping line of cars, I melted on my way to work. In full on grrr mode I spied a way to freedom. I eased my way away from the masses and drove on unimpeded.

The road ahead was opened and beckoned me like a crooked finger. Restless, I switched the jazz streaming from my radio to the thumping alternative musical morsels that are WMSE in the morning. Slally gained speed as my left foot seemingly tripled in weight. Smiling broadly, I headed for the railroad tracks on 107th that make my car briefly fly and that never fail to elicit a giggle from it’s naughty driver. You have to take joy were you find it. Mine is usually induced by my own asinine behavior. Now, about this supposed Spring thing…

The first day of spring is March 20th (sometimes March 21st), and it is also known as the vernal equinox. This means it is the exact day separating winter from spring. Equinox is a Latin word, which means, "equal night". This is one of two times during the year in which the day and night are of equal length. More Sun. More warm. I need some of both. It is time to put away the heavy coats and get out the not quite as oppressive coats. It is usually at this time of year, that I want to burn every single article of clothing I own. I want to open the windows and smell fresh air. The house is horribly winter stale. It is time to clean the hell out of everything.

And, it is time for mud. Lots of mud. Everywhere. Before long, the flowers will bloom and the air will buzz with insects. I admit to an immense amount of joy at the sight of my first plants breaking ground. Everyday, I’ll go out in the muck and peer at the little crocus leaves that have grown at least a millimeter from the day before. All my hopes for seasonal transition lie within its flowery promise. Traditionally, spring has been associated with the start of life. This is the time when the earth wakes up from its slumber and the world appears to be reborn. It is also the time when all the animals begin to create that which will be born. In our house, a sure sign of spring begins with the mourning doves. Their name implies a somber nature, but I can tell you, these birds are quite romantic. A female will land on the fence in the back and will soon be followed by her amorous mate. She invariably plays hard to get. He gives her the eye and inches closer. She glares back and inches away. This can go on for seconds. Then, a quick mounting involving a lot of wings flapping and a not so mournful “Oooo, oooo!” and it’s done. For now. These actions will be repeated uncountable times throughout the day. He ends up looking quite satisfied and she looks flustered. As they descend to a puddle for the dove version of the after coitus cigarette, he always lets her slurp first. Ah, love in springtime.

Spring was a very important time in the past, as people could soon stop eating their winter stores and begin planting their crops. In addition, the temperature was slowly climbing so people did not need to spend as much of their energy figuring out how to stay warm. Which means that movement under the blankets would no longer be protracted shivering. From caves to castles, log cabins to loft apartments, spring is all about “Oooo, oooo!”

Eggs play a very important part in ancient myths regarding the vernal equinox. Of course, birds begin to lay their eggs in spring, of which we’re all well aware. And this was very significant to ancient folks. Spend your day plowing fields by horse, gathering food and trying to find firewood and you’d think it was significant, too. They thought, ‘renewal, rebirth, joy’. I would be thinking ‘omelet’. According to folklore, this is the one time of each year when an egg could be stood on end. If an egg can be balanced on its end during the equinox, at exactly the same time when the day and night are also in balance, then Earth and nature are said to be in harmony. I still think, ‘omelet’. I’m not leaving the balance of Earth and nature to the potential wobble of an egg on one day out of the year. Call me new fashioned.

The spring equinox was considered the start of the Pagan New Year. This was the day of resurrection of the sun god from the underworld of winter. He met his goddess, Eostre (which comes down to us in the words East and Easter), who was a deity of the dawn and the Saxon goddess of fertility. Eostre (from whence we also get the name of the female hormone, estrogen) whose symbols are the rabbit (both for fertility and because her worshipers saw a hare in the full moon) and the egg (symbolic of the cosmic egg of creation). Is it coincidence that our modern celebrations include these symbols? She was associated with new life, and many of the traditions of Easter are derived from these ancient Pagan rituals and beliefs. You’re quite right if the “Oooo, oooo!” is once again coming to mind. Spring festivities were a time for ancient Pagans to get together and discuss the latest monarchy whilst receiving numerous tick bites in the shrubs. Always an excuse to frolic. To go a-maying has connotations well beyond those implied by simple poetry and that mulberry bush saw some action.

While I can admit to thoughts of frolicking, my mind is filled with a need to pamper my poor little car. I will wash the salt from her rusty form, vacuum her neglected interior and change her oil. She deserves no less after carting my sorry self around all winter with nary a complaint. And around this time every year my music seems to slip from moody boy music to moody girl music. I sleep better. I eat less. I am a grinning fool. The only bump in my road is the one hour ahead clock change. I’ll be walking around somewhat befuddled for about a week then I should be fine. Spring is almost here and I am ready to be sprung.

Jennifer Jordan