It's officially spring in Massachusetts, USA. Melting snow is a part of the happy beginning of warm weather. The warm sun and moving trees confirm a breeze; you think a light sweater is good enough for the walk.
But stepping out, I find the chilly wind driving in late winter bites, making me wish I had a coat.
Getting wet in the rain is not that bad at all if you look at the authenticity of it. If the sun, snow, and wind are good experiences, why not rain? It was a seasonal routine for me to get wet in a downpour at least once on the monsoon days in Bangladesh. The snow is melting around our town of Amherst. In the background, the winter bids farewell, unsure who is happy to see her go and who is not. The winter sports people and the apple trees that love the cold touch on their roots might be shedding tears. If one dislikes the cold and all that harsh winters bring, they bid farewell with smiles.
Along my walk, I watch the gentle flow of water in the stream, gurgling and trickling beneath the small wooden bridge. The sight carries me to faraway lands, rivers, seas, and mountains. I wonder where the stream originated. Where do you come from, dear stream? I see you covered under a white blanket of snow in winter while frozen water snuggles with summer dreams.
Do you hold the freezing water like a lover while ensuring it comes back to life in spring?
I stand by the stream, listening to the water flowing by. I listen to it saying hello to the rocks and debris it touches on its way to the river, sea, or ocean. It opens my inner eyes, and I envision a mountain from where a waterfall runs downward to mingle with the river below.
Dear Stream, in your water, do you carry tears of joy, tears that bring life along?
Looking out the window, one can be lucky to find a few birds sitting on the trees, some of which have new buds. The fresh leaves seem to grow every minute, and in no time, the thick, green boughs will make the surroundings green heaven. There shall be daffodils and tulips on the ground beneath the trees, coloring the spaces cleared from snow. Some grass will be green, while the others will still brown from their sleep under the snow. And more, the apples and peaches shall hang low by mid-summer soon.
If one keeps looking out, for that is where the eyes mostly travel these days, one may see rabbits frolicking around. There is joy in their movements, glad to be out of their burrows. And if lucky, a deer or two could also walk by. The bears are neighbors from the nearby mountains and are out of hibernation. No, those are the ones you don't care to run into, not at all. By the way, it's good to know a thing or two if you find a sudden black bear waiting for you at the end of the field. Just don't panic or run. Be steady as you gaze the creature down; better google more on how to handle a bear encounter.
Moving inside to home, when the spring is in, it's time to put away the coats, hats, and boots. Glad to get rid of them, for a while at least. And yay! Now we can put on some fashion and style- summer clothes in various colors. And it's time to hear ladies walk on their pencil heels on the pavements.
If spring is here, it's time to plan a trip for summer and the sea, and while impatient wait to touch the seawater, the heart races free. Hopes and dreams may or may not come true, but spring shows the day like the morning sun shows the day.
Tulip Chowdhury writes from Massachusetts, USA
