Spring Be Thy Companion

Spring has finally arrived in our little corner of the world.  

It brings me joy to see the renewal of God's creation.  

The hope of new buds.  

The promise of delicate blossoms.   

The joy of new life in all forms.

a dragonfly freshly emerged from its pupae skin

  

The hacking, sneezing, and groaning of those suffering from seasonal allergies. 

Yes, 3 out of 4 members of our household suffer from seasonal allergies.  D's allergies are relatively new to him in the last few years, but they have not been gentle with him.  They hit him in the sinuses and chest.   He depends on medication to do be able to, oh I don't know, breath and stuff.   Samm-samm also suffers from early March until October.  She has pretty much had allergies since she moved from Minnesota to Washington when she was five.  Each summer she goes to spend time with your Mom and Step-dad in Minnesota, and she has 6-7 weeks of blissful allergy free summer fun.  Ten minutes after her plane lands in Seattle, she is sneezing.  Poor kid.  But, she is a trooper.  She takes her medication and rarely complains about the 20 minute sneezing fits every morning when she wakes up.   However, should she forget her medication, well, her eyes puff up, the sneezing persists all day and she generally feels like she is under a heavy fog.  Thankfully, she doesn't get any asthma like symptoms. 

Me however, I'm the lucky one.  My allergies don't get to me every year.  Most years they are nothing more than a little irritation.  Not even allergies really.    But, some years, like this year, my sinuses threaten to pack up and leave.  My eyes itch and burn.  And this year my head has decided to join in the fun with a persistent, throbbing headache.  But, I have not had luck with medication.  Most allergy medications make me stoned.  I clearly have some kind of sensitivity to the ingredients.  Some knock me out.  So I won't take allergy medicine anymore.  I also don't take pain killers for the headaches very often, because, I have headaches so frequently that there is no way I will subject my body to that many pain killers.  

But enough complaining.  The sun is shining and birds are singing.  Everything is so green.  I can't help but find joy in it all.

 

Awakened by warmth

Unfolding beautiful life

promises of Spring.

 

 Old death fades to life

Green buds burst forth anew

Birds sing to spread joy.

Ah, Spring, thou hast come

To awaken nature's sleep

To inspire my soul.

It just occurred to me as another sneezing fit passes.  Achoo rhymes with Haiku.  

So....

Haiku!

Bless You!

PS...  I'm a dork.