Several years ago, a colleague opined that we should set aside March 4th as a national holiday, prompting me to revert into a 3-year-old.
“Why?” I responded.
“It’s the most optimistic date of the year,” she continued. “Marching forth is all about moving boldly from where you are to where you want to be. It’s about being fearless. It’s about being hopeful.”
“It’s about time for lunch break to be over,” I replied, tossing my garbage into a nearby trashcan while heading for the door to get back to work.
In retrospect, I might have been a tad hasty in dismissing my co-worker’s premise.
We are now more than a year into a devastating pandemic and a few weeks removed from weather that Texas imported from Montana, two milestones that I certainly didn’t have on my “When life gives you lemons …” Bingo card.
We’re experiencing virtually unprecedented political turmoil that manifests where we used to post cat videos and reunite with old high school buddies. We’ve even witnessed the Rose Bowl played in Arlington.
Up somehow became down. Right and left have tragically transformed from directions into ideological mountains on which we aggressively plant flags. And don’t even get me started about how “being right” somehow became the collective focus of a society that was built on a foundation of doing the “right” thing.
Frankly, I’d much prefer to see a smile than hear a rant. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that desire.
I’m also pretty sure this month’s cover prompted some of you to smile. It shows what spring is supposed to look like: new blooms … nature in action … the order of things when things work perfectly …
And peace. Surely, we can all enjoy some peace.
On page 24, we further extend our spring greeting with a story from the Arlington Parks & Recreation Department about container gardens. Before I got this job, I spent the lion’s share of my career working for a magazine that was created to help garden centers help customers lead happier lives.
The process is simpler than it sounds: You incorporate nature into a setting in the yard or patio that inspires people to want to go there and stay there, even if just for a short while.
When people do that, they tend to forget the worries of the day – how do you worry while you’re watching a bee frolic from blossom to blossom, carrying out a natural procession that will ensure the scene’s return year after year after year?
Indeed, that bee is marching forth. My friend was right. There really is something special about that date. Especially this year.
