(unedited)

Spring is about beginnings – trees bud, birds renew their song, little ones begin to show up where barrenness one prevailed. We wait and wait for this moment, during the droll of winter we persevere and prepare for the season of renewal.

In my own life, I have noticed the intention “beginnings” require from the participant. One needs to be working in the winter droll to be prepared when the opportunity presents itself.

Beethoven, the great composer, experienced many moments of winter in his life, yet he did not allow those moments to rob him of ideas or continuing to persevere forward in his chosen profession. Thirty years, thirty years of sticking with the tune to Ode to Joy before the iconic came to fruition. In and of itself, that would have been enough – however, there is more to the story. After thirty years of persevering with the tune, he was completely deaf and nearing the end of his life. The world may have written him off, doubted, and turned away from the genius – during this time of winter as an artist, he continued to work. Then, when spring-time arrived, he worked with creative drive to complete what we now recognize as Ode to Joy.

Every time an artist tries again, they choose to embrace spring, the season of beginnings. Just as a tree, each season is needed to operate in full health. One cannot live in a forever fruiting summer, it would be exhausting and unsustainable. There needs to be down time or rest, of participating in daily discipline until it is time to plow forward once again. Let us join with the birds, sing a new song. Let us participate with the Creator in daily acts of creation and watch our little ideas proliferate.

Let us begin again.

He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

psalm 40:3