Seasonal rebirth.

While winter has not loosened its grip upon several states in the Plains, we have been afforded the grace of the real face of spring here in this portion of New York State. Though the risk of snowfall is still something that looms ever present, as it is not unusual for it to drop even at this time of the year, for now, for these few days, and especially on this day, the unpleasant memory of this past winter has begun to fade.

Daffodils are beginning to poke their heads through the still hardened ground, along with some other plants, of which I cannot identify. Neighbors are starting to come out of hibernation, and kids on bicycles, and playing driveway basketball are making their appearances. The only thing missing so far are the woodchucks, but I'm sure they'll make their appearances soon enough.

Life returns here amongst the organic inhabitants, and just four houses down from me, life also returns to something inorganic, but no less alive. The phoenix begins to rise from the ashes of a November evening last year that could have been worse than it turned out. A family was uprooted, as their house was blown to embers.

They took refuge in an apartment complex that was basically across the road as they planned what to do. Ultimately, they decided to rebuild. They could have just bailed, as all their kids are grown and are out of the house, but they decided that they had too much invested in that home to simply walk away from it, even though it would not be what it once was.

So, this week in the mornings when I would wake up after my late night labors, the sounds of hammers, drills, an other equipment can be heard. They are surgeons doing reconstructive surgery on a patient that would have been otherwise left for dead.

It is skeletal in nature right now, but by the end of the spring, beginning of the summer, it will breathe with life again as the family that was forced to abandon it suddenly will return to it.



While the most important thing was that they were not at home when the fire broke out, our neighbors were able to salvage much more of their memories than they first thought. He is a musician, a guitarist, and had many vintage guitars that meant a great deal to him. Fortunately, only 2 were lost to the fire, one was damaged but has since been restored. The bulk of what they lost was in clothing, which is easily replaceable.

While they will be returning to a house that will not be quite the same one they bought over 20 years ago, it will afford a new beginning mixed with familiar things. They will have many of their possessions, their memories, and their neighbors there when they return.

Most importantly, they will have their lives.