My brother-in-law and I spent the better part of yesterday morning clearing a dam that had formed in the drain that separates our upper pond from the pond below. The dam, likely the product of an ambitious beaver, blocked both the front of the drain and the middle of the 25 foot long corrugated pipe and as a result, the water level rose to the point the dock at the other end of the pond was completely submerged.

The weather cooperated as a steady rain helped to put pressure on the dam and washed the hopefully Giardia-free water from our faces as it splashed up in the process of clearing the mess. Both of us noted how wonderful it was to be outside, to work at the edge of the woods – up to our thighs in water – on a cool and wet early spring day. Many of the trees are in bloom, flowers are popping up everywhere and the smell of the air is notably different from just weeks ago. I was reminded of these beautiful verses from Percy Bysshe Shelley:

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

We managed to clear the drain of any debris and the restored flow was a sight for sore eyes (and backs!).

The spring season provides a wonderful symbol for life’s regenerative powers. Life flows generously when blockages to its natural flow are removed, in nature, in our bodies, our minds and more. The key, of course, is to recognize the frustrations as early as possible. Left too long, they become impacted and eventually cause deep and occasionally irreversible structural damage. The sooner they are removed, the better.