The Smell of Spring

If I asked  what the first day of spring smells like, would you know the answer or understand the feeling?  I walked out of my apartment yesterday to temperatures nearing 60 degrees and the sun shinning.  It wasn't necessary to hide myself under my long padding (I know that's Konglish, but for the life of me can not think of the English equivalent) and I couldn't help but feel alive.  Korea, Daegu specifically, is currently dealing with the Coronavirus outbreak, and while the media has sensationalized the severity of it all, the last few weeks have been painted in gray. This could have compounded my happiness for the sudden spring day, but more than that I felt a pang of nostalgia, memories of childhood.  Am I alone in this, or does everyone else rejoice in the world coming back to life at the first smell of spring?

Being from Wisconsin, where temperatures over 50 degrees are met with windows down, shorts and scheduling of tee times,  most of my friends have always appreciated the coming of spring as much as I have.  Wisconsin winters are notorious for being long, dark and unbearably cold, so it's no surprise that once temperatures break the freezing point, we begin to emerge, coming out of our winter hibernation.  My second home, Korea, follows similar weather patterns and while I've traveled extensively, I was never around long enough to experience the changing of seasons in another country (or rather the lack thereof).  I'm interested though, are there people who would have no idea what I'm talking about if I said, "It smells like spring"?

Trying to express, in words, what the onset of spring feels like is nearly impossible.  Simply put, it makes me feel alive, but I guess that's not really all that simple.  More than not having to wear a jacket, dress in multiple layers or don a hat and scarf, it's a feeling deep in my bones.  The first few days of spring, the first thaw, melting puddles of snow and emergence of flower buds brings with it a feeling of hope.  My mind almost always resorts back to childhood, spring makes me feel young again, I feel fresh, new, like anything is possible.

I just can't help but wonder about the people that don't know this feeling, does March really come and they just go about their business as normal?  I realize this has little significance or effect on my life, but it makes me curious. I've always hated winter, which may have a great impact on how much I adore the coming of spring.  I've begun to realize though, that for as much as I deplore the cold, it does make me appreciate the warmth.  I guess it's true, sometimes you have to know the bad in order to really appreciate the good.