Bright pink blossoms spread out on the sidewalk below our crabapple tree. Young green stems of wild grass poke up through the creeping myrtle. Deep purple bugleweed flowers carpet a corner of the yard. In my part of the world here in northern Indiana, May is the month of reopening. Days dawn sunny and warm and nights no longer carry the risk of frost. Everywhere around me, the lush landscape unrolls its green carpet, softening its contours, filling it with color.
As nature opens back up, my house reaches a little further as well. The world becomes a little smaller. With the windows now open, I can hear the sounds in the neighborhood: birds up at the crack of dawn, steps on loose gravel, a truck rumbling through the quiet street, a sudden high pitched laugh. As I walk down the street, friends and strangers are out on their porches or stoops and throw a greeting my way.
What used to be a well sealed house is now an airy kingdom, almost doubling in size with its outdoor spaces. Breakfast, lunch and supper now spread out into our second and third dining rooms: the back deck and the front porch. In the morning, the birds and squirrels join us. And at night, our roof becomes the sky above reflecting the setting sun, before the mosquitoes come out to chase us in.
I feel the shift within me as well, a first small opening. After hunkering down through the cold and damp of winter, it’s time to break free. I put away my heavy sweaters and boots, store my down jacket and wool hats and bring out the airy shirts and sandals. After letting the earth rest, I’m now down on my knees, hands in the ground, planting and weeding. After weeks of simmering soups and bubbling casseroles, I’m digging into salads and the first green vegetables of the season.
In winter, I often turn inward, reflecting and pondering. Time seems to slow down. Now, I begin to turn outward, using that extra energy for those longer hours of daylight. I have plans, plans, plans! Just as nature pushes out, I’m ready to surge as well. In case you hadn’t noticed, nature is calling to you as well. It’s telling you to awaken from your long winter sleep, to emerge from the dark cold months, to renew your dreams and to unfurl your wings and take off. It’s time to shift into a new mode. May is here!