A GLIMPSE OF SPRING AT MHCC

Bethy Fallgren|The Advocate

A few weeks ago, Mt. Hood Community College was booming with beautiful cherry blossoms along with many other delightful flowers, including daffodils and Forget Me Nots. Rainbows of color filled every corner of campus. It was a wonderful sight to see for our final days before Spring Break – and before the college was forced to close its doors due to the unforeseen circumstances of COVID-19.

While it seems particularly hard for so many of us during this difficult time, spring helps remind us of renewal, growth and hope. With everything going on, it’s good to be reminded of these simple things – that there will be a new day, and to use these times to grow as people. Like everything in life, there is a cycle of both good and bad; better days are to come.

If you are able, be sure to take the time to enjoy what joy our surroundings have graced us with, like the ornamental blossoms of the cherry trees, also known as Sakura in Japanese terms. Sakura is a symbol of renewal and optimism, bringing vibrant pink petals after a long, dark winter. It is also a reminder to be appreciative of the elegance around us, for it is often short- lived and gone before we know it.

Let this spring be a form of renewal for your life, just like the Sakura tree. Remember what inspires your soul and let it shine for all to see. Hopefully when this all passes, life will have a sense of normalcy again, and will even turn out for the better, in the long run. Maybe we all just needed to take a step back and remember what is truly important to all of us.