Spring has a way of sneaking up on us—softly, sweetly, like a secret whispered through the petals of new blooms. One moment, we’re navigating gray skies and chilly mornings, and the next, we’re standing in a yellow field, grinning at the sky, bathed in sunlight and possibility. In that moment, there is no rush, no to-do list—just the simple question: Where shall I be happiest today?
The quote I chose for this image says it perfectly:
“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest.”
What a tender reminder that joy doesn’t require perfection. Even a “false spring”—a fleeting warm day in the middle of lingering winter—is enough to reset the heart. It asks nothing of us but to notice, to pause, and to allow happiness to take root.
This picture was a day at the end of the long, cold, Northern California winter, when finally the sun came out and woke up the fields with miles and miles of bright yellow flowers. Bonus – the fields were across the street from the glorious Pacific Ocean – dazzling with sunshine on the ocean waves.
A Season of Awakening
Spring carries a kind of magic—one that doesn’t wait for things to be perfect. The flowers bloom without asking if it’s the right time. The sun shines boldly, even if a frost might come again. And so, we too are invited to open up, to stretch toward the light, and to rediscover joy in places we might have forgotten to look.
Being in that field of yellow flowers, I felt it deeply. It wasn’t just about the scenery, though it was breathtaking—it was the feeling of being alive. The kind of alive that isn’t tied to plans or achievements. Just alive in color, breath, warmth, and light.
Choosing Joy, Even Briefly
It’s easy to postpone happiness. We tell ourselves we’ll feel better when things are less busy, when the house is in order, when the inbox is cleared, when the rain finally stops. But spring doesn’t wait for everything to be neat and tidy—it blooms anyway. And perhaps that’s the most important lesson it offers: choose joy now. Not someday. Not when everything’s perfect. Now.
Even if the joy is fleeting—even if it’s a “false spring”—it’s still real. It’s still yours.
Gratitude for Fleeting Moments
One of the quiet gifts of gratitude is its power to anchor us in the moment. When we let ourselves be grateful now, we begin to see how abundant life already is. We begin to realize that happiness doesn’t need to be earned—it can be received.
That day in the yellow field, I wasn’t solving any big problems. I wasn’t making big decisions. I was just being, and it was enough. There was a kind of stillness, a sacred pause where the only question that mattered was: Where to be happiest?
And isn’t that a beautiful problem to have?
Letting the Heart Bloom
As spring unfurls around us, may we give ourselves permission to bloom too. Let happiness be simple. Let it be spontaneous. Let it be loud or quiet or silly or serene. Let it rise up like sunlight on your shoulders, or laughter in a field of yellow flowers.
Wherever you are today, find your place of joy—under a blooming tree, with a warm cup of tea, or in the arms of someone who makes you feel like spring. Let your heart bloom, even if just for a moment.
And if the spring you feel turns out to be a “false spring”—still smile. Still say thank you. Because even a single bloom has the power to change the whole landscape of a day.