Spring represents an awakening. Its many images and symbols speak of our rejuvenation, our coming out of winter’s hibernation with energy and enthusiasm for what comes next. The song of the birds in the park, the grass already in need of mowing, and the first shoots of color bursting forth from the dormant winter soil in our gardens. Life, with all its challenges, is seldom easy. In the face of those discouragements and difficulties, we need those things that can lift up our spirits: families and friends, the greening of our neighborhoods, and the burst of new life that comes each spring. This spring is extra special though after the winter that was 2020 with COVID 19 and what seemed one disaster after another this year has sprung forward with hope, hope for ourselves, our family, and our nation.