Happy Spring!

One Easter several years ago, my family had gathered at my parents’ house to spend the holiday together, hunting for colored eggs and eating yummy home-cooked desserts.  My niece, who was around five at the time, had a sheet of Easter-themed stickers (obviously meant to be used in the classroom), and she was selflessly giving one to each member of the family.

We proudly wore our gifts on our hands or shirts or foreheads, as the case may be.  After a few minutes, people started looking more closely at the messages.  Mine said, “Great job!”  My dad’s exclaimed, “Way to go!”  My brother wore the witty, “Egg-cellent!”  His wife’s said, “Hooray!”  But my cousin’s sticker, next to a picture of beautiful flowers, stated, “Happy Spring!”

While still a pleasant greeting, this one didn’t seem to be quite in line with the rest of the sentiments, and a discussion ensued about the need for such a sticker in an educator’s arsenal.  We laughed about the teacher’s hand gliding over all of the choices, hovering, hesitating.  Then, finally seeing the “Happy Spring” one, she breathes a sigh of relief as she finds the one sticker she can put on the mediocre work in front of her.

We decided there was a market for this type of product and suggestions were made for other useful sayings to put on stickers:  “You turned it in!”  “I can read this!”  “Not so bad!”  “I like your shirt!”

Since then, the term “Happy Spring” has become a euphemism in my family for “You’re an idiot” and we enjoy chuckling over it privately.

I’d like to stop my anecdote here.  In truth, I do have a point.  There is a reason why I wanted to share this story on this day.  It’s just not worth getting into on my little blog.  Let’s just say, that I would like to give a BIG “Happy Spring” to the state of Texas right now.  Due to their ignorance and idiocy, they are causing a trickle-down effect of many more “Happy Springs” to come.   And it’s very  disappointing.