But wait, is that Spring?
And then, just when you think you can’t take another gray day, something changes. First, it’s a subtle shift—the hard-packed ice turns to mush, the snowbanks shrink, and while the streets turn messy for a while, it’s a hopeful mess. Snowdrops, those delicate white flowers that somehow bloom through the snow, start to appear. You catch glimpses of them in the park or in front yards, the first sign that winter’s grip is finally loosening.
The transformation is slow at first, but the thaw begins in earnest. Slush is finally washed away by rain and the first street cleaners making their rounds, and there’s a strange joy in watching the city shake off its winter layers. By the time the Cubs’ Opening Day rolls around, there are days when the sun feels warm again. It’s usually just after those first games that Chicago comes alive, putting on her most beautiful gown— the one we’ve been waiting for since winter first arrived. Spring comes like a breath of fresh air; with it, the city and its people reemerge, trading boots for sneakers, parkas for light jackets, and winter’s heaviness for the lightness of a new season.
Photo Credit Blake Guidry