“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” — Hal Borland
Sitting on my front stoop in the early spring of 2009, I was playing my guitar on the first warm, sunny day of the season. Named “Little Girl,” my guitar is a far better instrument than I deserve. I had been sad when I discovered she had developed a long, narrow crack during the cold, dry months of winter, and I felt pretty negligent in tending to her properly.
As I took her from her case, the first thing I did was check for the crack. To my amazement, it was practically invisible. The moist spring air had helped it work its way back together again. My first thought was, “She comes apart in the wintertime and puts herself together in the spring!” I laughed when I realized that I do the very same thing. Of course, I promptly wrote a tune about it.
I am always glad for winter solstice each year because it marks the slow but steady return to longer, warmer days. Yet, as much as I grumble about the cold and gray of this season, without the coming apart of winter, the coming back together of spring would not be nearly so sweet.
To listen and watch “Shades of Change,” click play below.