Gift of hope, renewed spirit

The fine yellow dust coats everything.

Park your car in the open for a few hours, and the pollen will become so thick on your windshield that you have to flip your wipers to be able to see.

It’s high season for the car washes, landscapers, mowing services, plant nurseries and allergists.

But for the rest of us, it’s spring. Glorious spring.

The dogwoods, brilliant white and deep pink, are the neon signs announcing the season in our neighborhoods. But they’re also standouts in the forest, where their layered limb structure provides a lacy doily dressing up the new green growth of our piney woods and bottomland hardwoods.

Where the tornadoes of last year scarred the earth, and where we are still healing from that damage, the season promises renewal with unexpected clumps of flowers on vacant lots and lush green growth.

It won’t last long in northeastern Louisiana. Spring never does.

But its gift is hope, the promise of new beginnings, the spirit of renewal.

We’ve often thought resolutions should move from New Year’s to the first day of spring.

That’s when we’re more motivated to get outside, take care of business, clear out clutter and simplify our lives.

But, tradition being what it is, we’ll embrace the season of renewal and be motivated to restore those efforts we dropped somewhere in late January.

And in the meantime, we’re going to get out and enjoy spring in northeastern Louisiana in all its glory.

The editorials in this column represent the opinions of The News-Star’s editorial board, composed of General Manager and Executive Editor Kathy Spurlock, Business and Politics Reporter Greg Hilburn and Education Reporter Barbara Leader.