The song Solar Power by Lorde perfectly encapsulates the feeling of spring beginning and washing away the weight of winter. I have included my favorite lyrics from it in italics throughout the article. Though, hearing it for yourself is the only way to do the song justice.
Listen here:
As someone who endures seasonal affective disorder each year, the first day of spring brings me elation that feels so novel. This year, my spring break began with a snowstorm; though it originally felt that the winter was dragging on, the days following the storm were warm and sunny. I began to feel the final pain of winter melting away. Though I love the coziness of staying inside as it snows, the spring equinox has come and I crave the warmth of spring and the release that comes with it.
Forget all the tears that you’ve cried, it’s over
It’s a new state of mind
Are you coming, my baby?
To me, the first day of spring is a feeling and arrives when I least expect it. A few days ago, I embarked on my first bike ride of the year around my neighborhood. As I weaved in and out of the residual piles of snowy slush, I felt a peace that can only be characterized by the first day of spring. The scenes that usually depress me—the sights of dirty old snow mounds, trees without leaves, and yellowed grass—felt so serene in the sunlight.
Turn it on in a new kind of bright,
It’s solar
Come on and let the bliss begin
As I embark on my afternoon walk, I hear that the birds are still chirping, there are children at play, and my neighbors are walking their dogs. As I begin to sweat, it’s as though life has been breathed into my world once more. I feel this lively warmth at the start of each spring, but somehow, my hippocampus cannot seem to hold onto just how peaceful this emotion is. Each year, revel in a new kind of happiness I’ve never felt before. Like clockwork, each spring I’m reborn again without ever seeing it coming. In this sunlight, I begin to look as lively as I feel.
My cheeks in high color, overripe peaches
There’s so much to love about this neighborhood, where I’ve experienced the first day of spring many times before. I owe my growth to my creaky Huffy bike and the sun that warms me inside and out. There’s life all around me as the breeze dances with the plants and my neighbors celebrate the outdoors in their favorite way. There’s a lightness about spring that can only be felt. No words can adequately describe this feeling, but we can come close. It is tender, transformative, and gentle. My usual craving for endless stimulation seems to subside as I spend my days silently watching the birds with my cat, reading in the sunlight, and reflecting as I explore my neighborhood on foot. I don’t want to mindlessly scroll through my phone, I want to be outside and live in my own mind for a while. I want to ride my bike, strap on my rollerblades and kneepads, dance around in the sun, and rebuild the strength I had before I began my winter hibernation.
Acid green, aquamarine
The girls are dancing in the sand
And I throw my cellular device in the water
Can you reach me? No, you can’t
I love to spend my springs and summers in blissful simplicity. I just want to eat fruit, learn as much as I can, and spend time with my loved ones. Taking moments to slow down and enjoy the simplest parts of life leaves me endlessly grateful.