Spring Fever

Men have often told me that regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania does on Groundhog Day, the official start of spring in New York is marked by signs of cleavage coming out of hibernation. As a population, we feel more social after being cooped up in our tiny apartments all winter. We start to go out after work more often, and stay out later.

It’s amazing we still have any social skills at all with our cyber communication way of life. But we cannot escape our ancient biology, as it pulls us outside for mating season with the arrival of spring. We shed our all black uniforms for more flirtatious feathers in lighter, brighter colors. Flirty open toed stilettos send their mating call — ‘click’ ‘clack’ — down the avenues. Places with outdoor seating gleam with animated, fashionable people as the city turns into a social wonderland. Men begin to exercise shirtless in the parks so that we can admire their forms, reminding us of what makes the other half of the species so attractive in the first place. The sound of summer sandals sends a subliminal message to men that drive them wild. It makes them do and say amusing things to get our attention. The ones that make greater efforts are usually the best specimens, for they have shown stability, strength, and a genuine interest through their pursuit of us.

We go through our closets, relegating winter sweaters to that hard-to-reach shelf at the top of the closet, making t-shirts and spring tops more accessible. We weed through our wardrobe. Does it still fit? Will it fit after two months of strip-aerobics and salad? Has this fabric lost its luster? If I add a new belt, will it give it new life?

Craving something new for the season, we shop the sales. Tired of wearing the same old black sweater for months, we seek to refresh our wardrobe, reinvent ourselves, and revitalize our locks with a fresh haircut. We deep clean our apartments, rearrange the furniture, and treat ourselves to tulips. We might even phone a friend and say “It’s so nice, let’s go out and catch up”.

It’s not only our social enthusiasm and libidos that renew in the spring, but also our wardrobes, homes, and lives. It is a time of revitalizing, cleaning and pruning that makes way for new life and new opportunities to unfold.

We find any excuse to be out in the world again, pouring into the streets, parks, outdoor cafés, and rooftop bars like children let out for summer vacation on the last day of school.

Now that we’ve defrosted, spring brings the joy of outdoor cocktails, gelato on a cone, a run in the park, salsa dancing al fresco, and most of all, the pleasure of each others’ company.

Happy Spring