By Abe Villarreal

I was going to start this column by sharing with you that spring was finally here until those tricky winds and cold mornings returned for one last stand, or what I hope is a last stand, and that I was upset about it because spring and summer are my favorite times of the year. I won't start there since I promised myself to start all things with more positivity.

So I'll begin by letting you know that lately, these low, fast-moving clouds and strong winds remind me that spring is almost here. It has to be almost here.

The trees know it because they started showing their leaves. Trees have been around for a lot longer than most of us, so they must know a thing or two about changes on the horizon.

I like it when something, not someone, gives you a life lesson. One you need to know. Sometimes it's trees and flowers. They understand what we don't want to understand. That everything is cyclical. That the sun and the rain are here when we need them. That if you stand still and just observe, untouched by anything unnecessary, you'll grow much more than you could ever imagine.

Animals, like my cat Nadya, let us know truths that people are too afraid to share. She tells me when I'm being overbearing. Also, when I'm not caring enough. We all need space, and at other times, we need to be held and talked to like we are children. Animals let us know when enough is enough. It can be hard for us humans to communicate that to each other.

I said I would be positive, and come rain or come shine, I'm determined to be that. More positive. It sounds like a cliché on a greeting card. Maybe it's because we don't say it enough. Aren't it enough. I've been trying to do it in little ways. Ways that I know aren't noticed by others but that make me feel better about my perspective in those moments.

Like how I react when someone shares sad news, and even in smaller things in life. Like what I do, or how I feel, when I run out of eggs or hot sauce. Reactions, feelings, in these small instants make a difference.

When I was in college, living in a tiny dorm with very little food options and even less money, creativity reigned supreme. No eggs? No problem. Grab some bread, slap some kind of dressing or sauce in it, look for a slice of cheese, layer some potato chips, and before you know it, a new sandwich recipe was born.

It didn't taste like momma's homemade food, but it tasted like something new, and something you could eat again in a pinch. That's positivity, and those sandwiches I made were more than others had when I needed a good bite to eat.

As you read this, the sun may be out or it may be hiding. The wind might be strong, or it may be a gentle breeze. The flowers could look awake and bright eyed, or they might be sleeping, waiting a few more days to perk up for the coming season.

For me, the cats, the flowers, the clouds, and the trees, they are all reminders of upcoming seasons. Of ways to view life and all the things it may bring my way, as an opportunity to see the good in it.

It doesn't take too much effort and eventually, the clouds will roll away. They always do.

Abe Villarreal writes about life and culture in America. He can be reached at abevillarreal@hotmail.com.