Early Spring

It's mid-March and almost all the snow is gone from my yard. I'm not sure this has ever happened so early before. Usually the snowbanks are still 4-6 feet high from all the shovelling, creating the illusion of living in a icy fortress. Today, there is only a little clump of snow left at the front, where the sun doesn't quite hit long enough to melt it, something we don't usually see until at least mid April.

I know I should be concerned, and I am; yet, I catch myself eagerly looking at the garden for early shoots of crocus or tulips. Further south, they are already catching such glimpses.

I look at the clump again and admire it: it's ugly, full of gravel, lonely perhaps; and yet, it persists. "Yes it's early, and yes the rest of the snow is gone. I worked hard to be here and I will melt in my own good time," it says and turns away from my stare.

It's too early to plant or to play in the garden. It's too late to go snowshoeing or skating. It's too early to take the snow tires off or to put away the winter clothes. It's too late to start knitting. This time in between seasons is a good moment to take stock: what still fits or what can be given away; what seeds to plant now, indoors, in hopes of transferring outside in May; what projects had I hoped to complete by now and how can I prioritize what gets done; what is coming up that I can begin to prepare for from now?

We can't control the passage of time, or the weather, but we can control what we do within it. Balanced leadership means working now with the resources at hand, looking ahead to what might come next and recognizing the value of the space between to reflect, review and plan.