Spring Paradox

Snowdrop blossoms, coming up through old leaves and a layer of snow.

Palmer continues his seasonal metaphor for the inner journey by turning from winter's dormancy to the paradoxes of spring.

Spring is the season of surprise when we realize once again that despite our perennial doubts, winter’s darkness yields to light and winter’s deaths give rise to new life. So one metaphor for spring is “the flowering of paradox.” As spring’s wonders arise from winter’s hardships, we are invited to reflect on the many “both-ands” we must hold to live fully and well – and to become more confident that as creatures embedded in nature, we know in our bones how to hold them.

The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must endure; the deeper our hope, the more prone we are to despair; the deeper our love, the more pain its loss will bring; these are a few of the paradoxes we must hold as human beings. If we refuse to hold them in hopes of living without doubt, despair, and pain, we also find ourselves living without faith, hope, and love. But in the spring we are reminded that human nature, like nature herself, can hold opposites together as paradoxes, resulting in a more capacious and generous life.
                                    A Hidden Wholeness, p 82 - 3

Above, a dead and decaying log -- filled with moss, lichen and tiny mushrooms. The close-up is below.

New growth and a clematis bud, on last year's vine, and the remnants of a previous year's flower.

Silver maple keys and a Japanese maple seedling, on old bark chip mulch.

Dogwood blossoms, full of spring sunlight.