Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never Is, but always To be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin’d from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

Alexander Pope, Essay on Man, 1733-34

It’s been a rough week – and not just for me. It seems as if my entire network is in a bit of a funk.

Yesterday, when I was walking into work I saw what I thought was a new shrub planted in front of the main entrance to Erickson Hall.  Since I arrived a bit late, I walked in the side door and didn’t pass by the new shrub.  A faculty member stopped by my office later in the day and asked if I was up to my normal shenanigans. Confused – he asked if I was the one that planted the flowers outside.   I went downstairs to take a closer look at that new shrub.  Someone took the time to lovingly tie oodles of little plastic yellow flowers to the tree.  Of course, due to the stress on my shoulders, tears began to trickle (and quickly freeze) down my cheek.

Even if spring isn’t here, as we are frozen in the depths of the winter and cold, (or frustration and fear,) we can create our own spring.  And, if you are in a place where you can’t muster the energy to create your own spring, take a minute or two find comfort and joy in unexpected places – spring is all around us.