We are now entering that time when spring teases us. One day, we see it peek around the corner; the next day, it disappears. Still, we know the time is coming, and so we begin to prepare.
You might find yourself sorting through winter clothes, deciding what belongs in the trash or donation pile, what needs a trip to the dry cleaners, and what simply needs a little cleaning or repair before being tucked away. Before long, your attention turns to spring clothes, shaking out the wrinkles and choosing what you want ready for that next bright, warm day. There’s a quiet anticipation in it all, a sense that something new is on its way.
Perhaps this is also a good time to do the same with our lives. With a spirit of honesty and grace, we can look at old habits and patterns and ask what is ready to be let go, what might be set aside for a season, and what simply needs a bit of care to be used again.
We might find that old grudges and lingering bitterness are ready for the trash bin. This may be a time to tend more intentionally to our relationships, to speak with greater care, and even to refresh the ways we show up in everyday spaces, like our conversations or our presence online, with words that are thoughtful and kind. These small acts of care can quietly shape not only our own hearts, but the life of our community.
It doesn’t take much to notice that we are living in a time when conversations can feel strained and patience can wear thin. In seasons like this, it becomes easy to grow defensive or quick to judge. And yet, perhaps this, too, is something we are invited to lay down. What might it look like to “clean up” not only our closets, but our words; to speak with gentleness, to listen with openness, and to choose kindness even when we do not see eye to eye?
For Christians, this kind of reflection is at the heart of the season of Lent: a time to pause, to take stock, and to turn again toward what matters most. It is a season of preparing the heart, making room for the hope and new life that Easter proclaims.
And yet, even beyond the Christian tradition, this time of year seems to carry its own quiet invitation. As the world around us begins to awaken, many feel a pull to begin again, to clear away what feels heavy, to make space for what brings life, and to step forward with renewed intention.
However we name it, the invitation remains: to live a little lighter, to love a little more freely, and to enter this new season with open hearts and a renewed sense of hope.
— This week’s Reflections column was written by Robby and Donna Flint of First Presbyterian Church in Brookings.
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