The Majesty of Spring

Parachutes open overhead as waves of paratroops land in Holland during operations by the 1st Allied Airborne Army., 09/1944 Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archives

As I walked my kindergartener to the bus stop this morning, a lone helicopter seed from my neighbor’s maple tree lightly wound its way to the ground in front of us. My daughter laughed and asked, “Daddy, did you see that? I love those seeds.”

I laughed along with her and replied that I, too, saw that and loved those seeds. Then I pointed up to the treetops to show her the thousands of seeds dangling from the maple trees just waiting for their turn to take flight. And as she looked up, a big gust of wind hit the maple trees. At once the skies filled with hundreds of helicopter seeds gracefully descending like WWII paratroopers in those old newsreels.

We must have stood there a good thirty seconds, heads turned skyward, watching the many paths taken to the ground. Were it not for the low rumbling of an engine breaking our trance as the bus turned the corner onto our street, I imagine us being caught in the moment for a very long time.

The simplicity of nature’s design on display. Another lesson in the majesty of spring.