| Spring is here at last! The season brings with it an | | | | boundless. Even for those of us who experienced |
| opportunity for continued personal growth, stimulated | | | | difficult growing up days, we still have positive |
| by a sense of life renewing itself around us. We see | | | | memories often awakened by our senses this time |
| growth of every kind reflected in our environment in | | | | of the year. |
| the spring. Tiny seeds and bulbs blossom into colorful | | | | If you let yourself enjoy each new spring day by |
| arrays of yellow, purple, and pink flowers and plants | | | | "being there" rather than just "doing," then you can |
| and the grass becomes green. Suddenly one day we | | | | have the joy of not only being in the moment but |
| look at the trees and see soft green leaves. Children | | | | also of rekindling wonderful earlier memories. |
| seem to leap ahead in growth, outgrowing clothing | | | | In terms of growing optimistically, it is often these |
| and changing shoe sizes. One day in the supermarket | | | | earlier memories that can serve as a jumping off |
| there are blueberries from central New Jersey, not | | | | point for your own positive growth. You might |
| flown in from California. | | | | remember how you felt roller-skating on a spring day. |
| For most of us, we find our senses heightened as | | | | Perhaps this memory was triggered by a walk you |
| warmer temperatures and refreshingly long days | | | | had yesterday. How can you recapture the |
| beckon us outdoors. Whether sitting outside on a | | | | exuberance and enthusiasm you felt roller-skating |
| bench, a porch, taking a walk or playing a sport, we | | | | many, many years ago? Perhaps it is time to walk |
| become attuned to all the smells, sounds and sights | | | | consistently everyday. Perhaps it is time to buy a pair |
| that we associate with spring and the way our | | | | of roller blades and learn to use them. Perhaps it is |
| bodies feel. | | | | time to develop another form of exercise, or maybe |
| Spring is a time for growing optimistically! A sense of | | | | you would rather have the pleasure of helping to |
| hope is in the air. Hardly a person does not respond | | | | teach a child or grandchild how to roller-skate. The |
| to positive feelings on certain spring days. We all talk | | | | ways to reinvent your past into positive states of |
| about spring fever. If we look carefully at our | | | | mind and body again and again are unique to you. |
| reactions, we can see that THE ENCHANTED SELF is | | | | Don't give up your opportunities to grow optimistically |
| at work. Outside, breathing the spring fresh air, it is | | | | in these glorious months, |
| easy to recall an earlier positive spring memory. | | | | My message to you is to honor yourself, to honor |
| Perhaps it is remembering yourself racing your bicycle | | | | your memories and let them pleasure you as you |
| down a hill on a spring day, or coming home | | | | navigate through the spring months. Try not to focus |
| exhausted and hungry after playing baseball. Maybe | | | | on the unpleasant aspects of earlier days. Look for |
| it's the exciting feeling of a crush in the seventh | | | | the "positive" memory traces associated with a smell, |
| grade combined with smelling honeysuckle or lavender | | | | a taste, or an awareness that is rekindled by the |
| as you walked home together. The images are | | | | blossoming of spring. |