Springtime In My Soul

I was standing in front of my oven looking out my kitchen window on a cold, frozen, and barren Winter’s day. The latest snowstorm in a long line of snowstorms had covered everything the day before and no thaw was in sight. I huddled close to the oven while our dinner baked inside of it. Its warmth, however, had little effect on me. It had been a long and rough Winter and its coldness and bleakness seemed to be seeping into my spirit on this dark afternoon.

A loud thumping noise let me know that my youngest son was bouncing down the hallway towards me. He was over 18 now but his severe Autism had frozen his mind at a 2 year old’s level. Sometimes the frustrations of his handicap would even cause him to cry, pinch his face, or hit himself. Most of the time, though, his energy, laughter, and delight in living were a pleasure to behold. He lived with the joy of a child even now in his adult size body.

Seeing me standing in front of the stove, he walked up to me, leaned his forehead close to mine, giggled, and smiled. His eyes sparkled with happiness and as I looked deep into them I could see something else: God’s love. We hugged each other for a moment and then he bounced down the hallway again. He had in an instant removed all the darkness and barrenness of my Wintertime blues. And in its place he had awakened a little Springtime in my soul.

My sweet, special son had reminded me without words that when we have love in our hearts, it is always Springtime in our souls. He had reminded me once again that we live in God’s world and that we are all one family here. He had showed me one more time that while we may not understand all the difficulties and challenges we face in this life we can still use them all to grow better, more loving, and closer to God. May life’s Winter days then never weaken the Springtime in your own soul. And may you forever share its warmth and beauty with the world.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

You can get Joseph Mazzella's book, "WALKING THE PATH OF LOVE," at www.amazon.com

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright © 2011 (joecool@wirefire.com) -- {used with permission} ]