As beautiful as winter can be, everyone who experienced heavy snow or extremely cold temperatures this year has been clamoring for spring. Why is it we yearn for spring no matter winter's beauty?

For many, winter's shorter days of sunlight are one thing we have come to accept. But being deprived of light's presence routinely can be difficult because light is essential for uplifting spirits and invigorating us.

I'm a violin player and during winter I practiced my violin daily. Some days during winter, my violin practice went very well and on other days, it went not so well. What was the reason for poor practice? The brutal cold had tightened my muscles, depriving me of the calmness needed to produce smooth soothing music on the violin.

As wisdom would dictate, the warmth, the looseness and the suppleness brought by the warmth are essential for success, not only in music but also in many endeavors we take up.

The sun does not just produce light and warmth; it also produces, along with earth and water, the vegetables and the fruits we need to survive. It is an important part of our life-giving horn of plenty.

Philosopher Bernard Williams enters into spring's spiritual depths by observing that "the day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created spring."

Spring brings hope for many and to hope is to look forward to a new type of joy. In the case of spring, many of us are prompted to look forward to the joys produced by God's earth.

But even more so, as Christians, spring brings Easter and we look forward to a more joyful spiritual life that comes to us during this great and holy season. Some say that spring's array of colorful flowers is one way of reminding us of the dazzling marvels of God's creation.

Poet Rainer Maria Rilke directs us to spring's poetic nature: "Spring has returned. The earth is like a child that knows poems."

Ah yes, spring is filled with poetry that prompts us to laud its magnificence! Blessed be God for spring.

FATHER HEMRICK IS A COLUMNIST WITH THE CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE.



- FatherEugene Hemrick is a columnist for Catholic News Service