Spring Break and Homework.

Spring has sprung here at Safe Harbor in the heart of the South. How do I know this? Simple. It is 71 degrees, the sun is shining the sparrows are twittering in the streets after french fries that have been tossed recklessly from a passing cars window by a teenager gulping down a Double-Mega-Jumbo-Burger and lighting a cigarette while the cars stereo is pumping some God-forsaken pop music about rings and fingers through the speakers. I see Japanese blackbirds sitting on the telephone wires doing some archaic, nee prehistoric mating ritual. The trees are starting to bloom, the pollen count is at an all time evil high and I hear the dulcet tones of lawn-mowers and weed-wackers fighting off the invading hoards of dandelions, weeds, grass, moss, ferns and other such minions in the flora and foliage army of nature.

Neighbors whom I have not seen in months except in passing are now sitting on their own porches with others in their brood frowning at me as I smoke my "Ewwww, Nasty, Smelly, STINKY CIGAR!!!" I just chuckle to myself when I hear that and you know, it does not get old at all. I chuckle, I wave, I smile and I write this blog and I listen, geese are now flying overhead and I hear the distinctive honking of one lone Goose as he tries like a General to get his flock back North to cooler and more hospitable and cooler climates.

The red-berry bushes on the side of my house are home to several types of birds that seem solely intent on devouring every berry and then finding a nice warm place in the tree above my pollen coated car and reliving themselves of all the waste in their system and turning my car from blue to green to some sort of white and black mixture of excrement that seems to be a remarkable paint and pollen remover. Hmmm, maybe I should bottle that stuff, patent it and then sell it to the Military or maybe 3M and then retire to my dream home of Snugg Harbor.

I see that I have gotten derailed and if you have followed me this far into the rabbit hole of my mind then maybe you would like to go a little further.

Spring Break is here and as I mentioned earlier the geese are headed North and not just of the avian variety. My own offspring, my Goose, is headed North to New Jersey starting tomorrow and I am excited for her and a bit nervous too. I don't recall in my own personal history that is, of being away from home a week or longer at that age. My daughter is fearless when it comes to travel and I admire that in her. She has no qualms or reservations about leaving home for a day, a week or even months on end. Maybe that is a reflection of her upbringing? That maybe, just maybe I and my spouse have not goofed up with her. Maybe she will be lucky enough to not experience the loss of trust and the pain of rejection that so many adults and children face today. That she will beat the odds of the maladjusted majority of the population of earth and be an actual member of society that will see the bright side of things and be able to open up her heart and her life to people without feeling like she is about to be used, abused, betrayed and scarred for a lifetime.

I hope so. I pray so. I believe so.

Spring is a time for renewal, a time for Love, Forgiveness and new beginnings. We all want and need second, third and fourth chances. We CRAVE them like a drowning person craves air and a hermit craves solitude, we as humans crave more chances. Heck, even in our video games we get second chances and here on earth every year we get another chance to make our lives just a little bit better and it is given as freely as the air we breath and generously as laughter from a child riding a bike. It really is a second chance to do better for ourselves and our loved ones. It is not as easy in a persons life to give another person a second chance simply because we like to hold onto our own personal pain and issues of the past. I know I do, I know there are members of my family that do and I know there are folks I work with that do. I know that you, dear reader, hang on to your pain. It's not easy to get rid of it. Always easier to hang onto it. Like bad luggage on Christmas day that was abandoned in your spare bedroom by visiting relatives. You don't want to get rid of it in case they come back one day looking for it. Which they wont. It just lies there under the bed as an ugly reminder of what they left behind for YOU!

So, where is all this going you are asking yourself? Simple, I have a homework assignment for you. It is purely optional homework but I will give you extra credit if you complete it. Ok, I wont give you extra credit but I would like to know if you complete the assignment. So here is your assignment, your homework so to speak:

1. Find in your heart a pain that has been with you for some time that you have not let go of and just let it go.
2. Let me know that you did it whether on here or my facebook page or through a twitter direct message or for some of you just an email

So are you ready for a renewal? I know I am and in case your wondering, Yes, I have gone through this process. A lot, and right now I am going through it again. I am struggling with some issues that concern my faith right now. Not in God but in my role in Leadership with my Church, today I was hurt, I felt insulted, betrayed and undermined in my position and authority. I did not take it well and I acted like a spoiled child who had just had his ice cream taken away by a bully. Then in the middle of the sanctuary at MY Church, where I am somewhat respected by others I flipped the BIRD! you know, THE BIRD! I am ashamed of that and I am sorry. I have been struggling with my actions and my emotions all day. I love my Church and the people there. I was foolish and immature and I hope that those who saw what I did do not hold it against me. I have also apologized to the people that I felt had hurt me. I have also forgiven them. Now, if I can just forgive myself I can start my own personal spring.

Go Love each other. Oh, and DO YOUR HOMEWORK!