The crocus are blooming in earnest. It never ceases to amaze me when this happens after a harsh Ohio winter.

It’s surprising that something so small and delicate could do this – to be so brave and strong they push their way through the cold earth and into the weak light of day before almost anything else.

The crocus appears before the graceful iris, before the cheerful forsythia and even before the first buds on the mighty oak.

The crocus gives us hope and proof that anything is possible during this season of renewal. If the tiny crocus can come back after a harsh season, so can we.