Washington D.C. is being enveloped in nature’s simple beauty.
Pinkish white canopies of cherry blossoms gently sprinkle to a white carpet of wonder. The buds have peaked earlier than usual this year in Washington, D.C., blooming with the promise of spring.
Dark-suited power brokers, dreamy couples, stroller-pushing mothers, tourists and joggers…are all awestruck. And, we all stop, even for a moment, for the welcome respite from the pressures of relentless traffic, unforgiving deadlines and endless meetings.We have to. For this moment does not last long. The peak is a moving target of about three days amid the randomness of March through April with an average ETA of April 4th.
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Fully blooming blossoms unfold spring’s hope of new beginnings.
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The blossoms faithfully appear every year, but too often, weather is not in sync with nature. The fickleness of spring sometimes robs us of these delicate treasures. This is my 16th full spring in Washington. And more than once, I have seen freezing rain rip blossom and branch and strong winds dissipate the splendor.
It seems Washington has only about 40 truly nice and comfortable days each year. Even as they bloom, the days can be cold, wet and cloudy. You can catch the cherry blossoms before and after peak, but the scene is not quite as majestic.
Washington is generally more out of sync than weather and nature. In this town of conflict, we cannot even agree on why weather appears to be getting more out of sync. In this town of power, we lack the power to create the moment when nature and weather merge in ultimate beauty.
As we wait, Congress debates the nation’s fate. Value-conflicted Washington mothers watch how their children play. Budget battles ensue from the kitchen table to the White House.
But there is something magical about those cherry blossoms.
Then the perfect moment comes. Fully blooming blossoms unfold spring’s hope of new beginnings. As we share nature’s beauty, there is a wonderful, quiet moment, when Washington stands still. We are reminded that there is something bigger than day-to-day hassles and clashes of destiny. And we are all a part of it.
And today, without a media campaign or pomp and circumstance, the sun did arrive. And in that moment, Washington shines its brightest.
