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April’s awakening brings abundant spring flowers

Time of rejuvenation for everything in life with renewed bursts of energy
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As we witness spring awakening to blossoming cherry trees, daffodils, tulips, snow drops, crocuses, hyacinths, bluebells, rhododendrons, and countless other species of spring flowers, many of us feel an awakening of a spirit of new life within.

This awakening spirit within is externalized just as it is in nature. Hence, we witness new building constructions, designing vegetable and flower boxes, yard clean-up, house cleaning (like washing windows), car cleaning and replacing bedspreads, curtains, tablecloths to match the changing season. This burst of energy in creating new projects has been called “Spring Fever”.

Along with the seasonal projects often comes a higher motivation to exercise in the form of biking, golfing, lawn bowling, walking the trails, participation in marathons, nature photography or painting, sailing, and observing herons and a pod of whales in the Chemainus Harbour (Jones Marina, as on Sunday, March 24).

Spring is definitely all around us in many forms. All I have to do is open my eyes and heart to newness and I will blossom as well.

I invite you to imagine which flower you are going to blossom into this Easter. Try to visualize which spring flower has meaning for you at this particular time in your life.

For example, on Valentine’s Day or whenever love wants to be expressed, the rose is most often chosen. Likewise, if I go inside myself and allow myself to feel which spring flower symbolizes what I want to express, I will identify with the spring flower that I am going to blossom into this Easter.

The Daffodil Society explains on its website that the term Floriography (the language of flowers) originated in England in 1716 by Lady Mary Wortley (wife of the English ambassador to Turkey). Any of us who have a pet knows that animals speak to us; so do flowers. I simply need to listen to learn the language of flowers and hear what the flower/tree is saying to me.

Here are some meanings given to the n-a-m-e of spring flowers.

Daffodil: esteem, regard, re-birth, new beginning (as it is the first spring flower to appear).

Snow Drop: purity, hope, re-birth, consolation or sympathy.

Crocus: cheerfulness, gladness, youthfulness, mirthfulness and glee.

Bluebell: humility, gratitude, everlasting love, constancy.

Hyacinth: sincerity if hyacinth is blue, jealousy if yellow and sorrow if the hyacinth is purple.

Tulips: perfect enduring love, undying passion, royalty and a regal nature, forgotten or neglected love, charity and supporting the less fortunate. The tulip is also the 11th wedding anniversary flower.

Rhododendron: elegance and wealth, taking care of someone, temperance, abundance.

Perhaps, when I understand the meaning behind the name of the spring flower it will be easier for me to know which flower I identify with this spring season and what I want to express as I blossom this Easter.

Wishing all readers a very joy-filled Easter.

(Chemainus resident Kathleen Kelly is the author of the book ‘The Tornadoes We Create.’)