The Coming of Spring

So today is the day that so many have been waiting for: the first day of Spring.  Does it feel any different?  I guess that depends on where you are.  For all of you that are a little farther north than I am, I'm sure it feels as though Spring may still be a ways off yet.  Being in central Florida, it almost feels like we went from Fall straight into Spring, with maybe only a few short days of winter thrown in for good measure.  For some, I'm sure that sounds wonderful.  For me, not so much.  As much as I love Fall and Spring, I actually love Winter, too.  I love the snow and the cold: going outside and building snowmen and snow forts, then coming in and cuddling next to a nice, warm fire.  Maybe it's because I was born in Colorado, and that's where my heart remains to this day.  Maybe it's a past life thing.  I've had several lifetimes in cold climates.  Either way, today marks the official first day of Spring.  How will you celebrate?  I'll be spending the day planting seeds, transplanting young seedlings into the garden, and of course, doing some spring cleaning here in the house.  The cleaning part isn't generally something that I enjoy, but it is necessary.  And I'm learning to make it as enjoyable experience as I can.  I try to make it magical, clearing out the old to make way for the new.  This year is a little different for me, too.  As I clean, I'm also purging, simplifying, and packing.  I am planning on moving back to Colorado just as soon as I can.  I fully realize that this move may still be a year or more away.  But I'm already starting to box things up and label them.  Why?  Because I believe that if I truly want something to happen, then the best way to draw it in is to begin living as if it has already happened, and to not just sit and wait for it to come.  Ergo, I'm packing as if I already have a place to go, and will be moving soon.  Now, this could be viewed as if I'm living in the future and not truly enjoying the present moment.  I can see that.  And yes, that's possible.  But I think it depends on how you look at it.  While I am packing for a future moment in time, I believe it is actually helping me to live more fully in the moment of the here and now.  There isn't as much "stuff" to distract me, not too many things that need to get done.  Only those things that are the most important for living in the here and now remain.  Is it possible to live both in the present and in the future?  I think so, absolutely!  We do it every time we plant a garden, every time we make plans with friends, every time we pay a bill that gives us another month of electricity or a place to live.  Enjoy the moment, take pleasure in the "now", but at the same time, work for a better tomorrow.  When tomorrow comes, it will then be the now.  Why not make it as wonderful as possible?  It seems like it would be such a waste to have so many "now" moments without working to make each one better than the last.