Goodbye, Winter; Hello, Spring!

Oh yes, I am ready for sunshine! We have had the longest winter period of rain and clouds and cold that anyone around our area can remember, so the blue sky that is appearing this morning is a welcome sight.

But that's not the only thing that makes this first day of Spring a big day at our house. It is also the opening day of (ta-da!)...Turkey season! That may not mean a thing to those of you who don't live with a household of hunters, but let me explain. That is, if I can.

The thing about hunting is not as much about killing (sorry to say the word...maybe I should use the euphemistic term "harvesting") the big bird, as it is about the camaraderie that goes with it. At our house, it's about the brother-to-brother and father-to-son experience that somehow mysteriously bonds them together in a fellowship that non-hunters like me don't have to experience.

This weekend, our two youngest sons are involved in a bachelor bash for a good friend who is getting married soon. We know how those weekends are: good friends, good food, lots of male bonding and story-swapping. The fact that they were having a good time underscores the importance of this morning, because they left the weekend party to drive home and spend last night, just so they could go turkey hunting with their dad on Opening Day.

I can think of a lot of things that I consider important on the first day that we have had weather warm enough to enjoy being outside: windows need washing, flowers need planting, grass needs cutting...on and on. But this morning, I watched our next-to-youngest son (age 32) open our bedroom door quietly, saw the hall light outline his strong adult body which was housing a little boy inside who was as eager as a kid on Christmas morning. I heard his expectation as he said, "Dad, you going to go with us?"

I felt their 74-year-old dad disengage himself from a cozy snuggle with me and get up to make preparations for the experience. In a few minutes, I felt a light in my face, heard a mumbled apology, and a teasing invitation, "Don't you want to go?" which was code for, "Don't -you-want- to- get- up- and- make- some- coffee?"

As a young bride, I might have been quilted into falling for that hint, but after 40 years of marriage, I can rest in the comfort of knowing that the guys can handle themselves. I was satisfied to let them to share their moment

I settled back in my comfortable spot, welcoming the thought of sunshine, hopefully, for at least this first day of Spring. Once again, I realize how fast the seasons of life come and go. The chores that need doing will eventually get done. The relationship that our sons and their father enjoy is the most important event happening at this moment.