On our morning walk, another sign of spring — a forsythia bush in full bloom. Just now as I am sharing the image with you, I realize there’s a Saint Francis of Assisi statue in the background on the left. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you, kind and gentle reader, but I was raised Catholic. One of my favorite hymns was based on the Prayer of St. Francis, “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.”

I like the idea of being a channel, an instrument of peace. In fact, my fundamental purpose in everything I do is to ease suffering, in myself and in the world. A few ways I’m doing that today are by noticing the signs of spring, sharing them where I can, and not giving up.