“Greetings.  I am Doctor Spring.  May I take your coat?  No?  I understand.  But you see ma’am, it would be best if you handed me your coat.  There now.  Thank you.  See, I am just hanging it on this hook in plain sight.  No, ma’am.  Don’t grab the coat!  Let it hang.  Ma’am, I understand that you are nervous and feel the need to clutch your coat.  You see, you appear to be suffering from Post-Winter Traumatic Frozen Bone Syndrome.  No, ma’am, I am not making fun of you.  I am serious.  Many people around here are suffering from it this year.  Are you afraid winter will return?  Do you feel that winter lurks out there, ready to pounce any day?  Yes, I thought so.  When you feel the warm, spring sun on your face, do you think this real?  No?  An illusion? Yes I thought you might feel that way.  We can fix this.  Let us take a walk in the garden.”

“Aahhhh” says Doctor Spring.  “Look at the pretty daffodils.”“Yes, you may touch them.”“Enjoy a long, lingering gaze at this pretty flower, ma’am.”“There ma’am.  Now look closely.  See all that pollen?  Pollen like that doesn’t happen in the cold season.” “You like that?  Great.  What?  No, ma’am, we don’t need to go back in grab your coat.  Spring is here.  See, over there.  More daffodils.”

“Let’s walk over by the stump.  Do you see the daffodils, with the grape hyacinth and bluebells.  Look at all the fresh daffodils just coming into bloom.  Yes, it’s nice.  Yes, the cat does seem to enjoy being the amidst the flowers.  The cat must surely believe it is spring, ma’am.”“Oh, you don’t find daffodils convincing?  You think they might bloom in the winter?  And grape hyacinth don’t fool you for one minute, eh?”

“What about the virginia bluebells, ma’am.  Don’t the bluebells evoke a certain glorious essence of the fresh, new season?”“No?”  The Doctor puzzles on this. “Hmmmm”  he thinks to himself, “The bluebells usually do it.  Their pastel pinks and blues seem to reach into the heart of even the toughest patients, bringing back happy memories of childhood Easters.”  An idea strikes him.  He beams at his patient.  “My dear lady, come with me.  Behold, the quince bush is blooming!”He feels her grip soften.  Now we’re getting there.  “Yes, ma’am.  And how about this?  The red bud tree is trying its best, just for you!”She smiles. She quits glancing around nervously, looking for her coat.  The Doctor pursues the remedy full bore.

“Ma’am.  I would like to show you something very special.  This is one of my favorite flowers.  The celadon poppy.  Some people call it the wood poppy.  Its a bit of a wildflower, but this beauty waits to bloom until it feels some real warmth in the air.  This flower believes in Spring.”The doctor and his patient sit by the pretty poppy, basking in the warm spring air, enjoying the glow of their cheeks radiating in the sunshine.  The cardinals are singing their happy song.  A bee buzzes by their heads.  They look up, and lo and behold, who do they see at the bird feeder?  A bright, gold goldfinch.

The patient laughs.

“Yes, ma’am.”  the doctor agrees.  “That is a true sign of spring.  Oh yes, we have made it.”

The doctor escorts his patient to her car.

“Yes ma’am” he says.  “I think you will be fine. I prescribe for you a good, healthy dose of sunshine.  You just go home, sit in the sun, listen to the birds and look around at all the life blooming around you.  You will be fine.  Just fine!”

“Oh, you are most welcome!  My pleasure, indeed.  Oh, ma’am.  Excuse me.” the doctor calls out as she drives away,  “You forgot your coat.”