It’s the first day of spring.

Under a cloudy sky, the world is coloured in hues of brown and grey. The occasional sun makes the wet ground from the melting snow a blinding distraction.

The smell of last year’s decay lingers in the air. Dead leaves and moulding flower petals held frozen for months complete their long-awaited rot.

The roads are a dank mess. Gravel and grit and months’ worth of salt pile up along the edges.

It’s ugly, sure. But this it’s the most exciting time of the year.

It’s always darkest before dawn, as the saying goes.

Soon the new green will grow through the rot of the old. April rains will clean the streets and cherry blossoms will explode, welcoming the glorious seasons ahead.