Living most of my life in the desert that is Southern California, I was unprepared for the world-changing events of spring. Even now that I've lived in a place with seasons for five years now, the shift is still very jarring.

In a good way.

Emerging from the subway at Central Park South and 5th Avenue (blah blah blah) at the south-east corner of the Park, I am daily blown away by the beauty. All those trees appeared dead two weeks ago, and not long before that the pond was a block of ice. Now it's something alive and dynamic and beautiful.

I dislike winter. Sure, there are things to appreciate about it, but I find that most of them are clever and comfortable ways to avoid feeling its effects (e.g. the nice fire/hot chocolate set-up). With spring, moving through the world without a jacket on I feel so happy.

Until I take my first breath and the hay fever sets in like crazy.

Ah, well.