Could it be true? Has spring finally sprung here in southwest Michigan and maybe even across the whole country?

I don’t want to count my proverbial spring chickens before they hatch, but it appears this might be the case.

Thank goodness.

It may be an understatement of historic proportions to say that this has been a long winter for everyone, but we may finally be able to see the sunlight at the end of the ice tunnel.

Not to sound cliché or corny, but it is really refreshing. Just like spring itself.

Early on after moving here last October — long before the sub-arctic temperatures and days of seemingly endless snow — someone told me that, “Michigan winters build character.”

I’ve been told that I am a character and am certainly not sure I need more of it.

What I think I have found is that Michigan winters also build excitement for the season to come.

No matter where you live, spring is looked at as the time of rebirth and endless possibilities. I like to think that I’m an eternal optimist — not to be confused with a Pollyanna who sees the world through rose-colored glasses — so I truly believe it is a special season of new beginnings.

Of course spring really sort of starts with Easter and the significance of that day then just gets better from there.

This year I’m looking forward to experiencing the two and a half seasons I didn’t get to enjoy in a state that I had never stepped foot in other than for an airport layover until visiting to consider taking this job.

A coworker was kind enough to give me a calendar as a Christmas present last year. Its title is “Michigan’s Picture Perfect Places.” It features beautiful skylines, picturesque shores and much of the natural beauty that spans the state from the Upper Peninsula to the southern tip of Niles.

My family and I — and probably the rest of Michigan’s 9.88 million residents — are certainly looking forward to experiencing some of those.

Spring just makes everything better and helps those cold winter days fade into memory quickly.

People are happier. Businesses can thrive. It injects vibrant life into the community.

Ultimately, spring offers a glimpse of limitless potential and endless opportunities. That is something we should all be able to appreciate no matter where we came from.

 

Michael Caldwell is the publisher of Leader Publications LLC. He can be reached at (269) 687-7700 or by email at mike.caldwell@leaderpub.com.