Every year, with the first spring sports flier I spotted, my heart began to flutter. Joy!

No, I didn’t particularly care about the sports themselves starting up, per se, although baseball is the only team sport I really enjoy. The happiness came from the fact that somewhere in the not too far future, it would be spring. Really.

There were other hints. Celebrations of the first 100 days of school were occurring – but that also meant that there were still 80 to go. We had started Marking Period 3 now – and by the time it was over, we would probably be ready for spring break. The light had begun its gentle climb, a little later every day – though the sometimes sharp angle of the sun made it hard to see.

It’s been a particularly gloomy winter in the Northeast, with lots of rain and little snow. While that’s fine by me now that I’m retired, I know the feeling of longing for a snow day, just for that break in time and routine. I’ve put my pajamas upside down and backwards with the best of them. If it doesn’t happen, we will end the year a little bit sooner, which isn’t a bad thing, either.

But June is far, far away.

And yet, spring sports signups are here – and the promise of “mud-luscious”* days out of doors beckons.

* [in Just-] by e.e. cummings