Springtime and Awakening

In winter, the earth goes to sleep until February when we see signs that she is awakening, signs such as bird song in the morning, green shoots peeking out of the mud and daylight hours lengthening. Although there are signs of awakening in February, there is still plenty of darkness and cold. It is as if the earth needs naps to achieve the enormous feat of springtime. Early Childhood is the springtime of a human's life; a time of freshness, hope, dreamy consciousness and lots of naps. The more conscious we adults are of tending the needs of the young child, the more the child can stay asleep until ready to wake up. A child who is asleep directly experiences life in its wholeness. What is it to be awake in our consciousness? It is to know life is precious, ever changing and is impacted by our conscious view of it. Although we may strive to stay conscious, sometimes in the course of day to day life challenges, we fall asleep to what is important. Those are the times that the beauty and joy of living recedes. But then, thankfully, something happens and we wake up again. Last week, the little ones in the parent-toddler program were having foot baths or as we referred to it, "baby spa". Their rounded feet beneath rounded thighs and calves splashed in the calming oil-scented water and they looked down while lifting their feet up and down experiencing the sensations. Besides the delight of babies, reminders of the temporality of life came in the brush of death in an old friend from my young adult years and a parent in the Center community. Yes, we are here now but we won't be forever and remembering that does change how we live today. The glory of living reveals itself in beginnings and endings, but what of all the days in between? We are provided with glimpses; there are more if we look for them and they are easy to find in both springtime and young children. When you go outside or witness your child, remember it's springtime, time to be aware of life's precious moments, time to wake up!