Spring, Connection, and the Hope of New Beginnings

As the first signs of spring arrive, I often find myself pausing to notice the small changes around me—the softer air, the trees beginning to bud, the way the mornings slowly fill with more light. Spring carries with it a quiet reminder: even after the hardest winter, life can begin again.

This month is also Suicide Prevention Month, which holds a tender place in my heart. I have lost loved ones to suicide, and I often wonder whether things might have been different if they had reached out, or if they had been able to see another perspective in the midst of their pain. When we are stuck in our own thoughts, it can feel like we’re trapped in a maze with no way out. Sometimes, all it takes is another person walking beside us to help us see a path we couldn’t find on our own.

That’s why connection matters so deeply. Talking to someone—whether a friend, a family member, or a counsellor—can open up possibilities that feel invisible when we’re struggling alone. It doesn’t make the pain disappear instantly, but it can shift the weight, remind us that we are not beyond hope, and that change is still possible.

Spring is a gentle teacher of this truth. Branches that seemed barren just weeks ago are now alive with blossoms. What looks like the end can, with time and the right conditions, transform into a beginning.

If you are going through a difficult season, please know that you don’t have to face it alone. Reaching out is a brave step, and it may open the door to light you thought was lost. And if you see someone in your life who seems to be struggling, your care, your words, your presence might matter more than you realise.

This season, may we hold on to the hope of renewal—not just in the world around us, but in our own hearts too.