Yes! If you are reading this column, you have officially survived February.

Give yourself a personal high five, because getting through the blizzard and howling cold weather is definitely worthy of a celebration. I don’t care if it’s classified as a participation trophy.

If you participated in the stuff February dished out, you deserve a Stanley Cup-sized participation trophy (Stanley Cup as in hockey’s massive championship cup, not the Stanley Cup, which my wife uses to drink voluminous amounts of water each day). That kind of participation isn’t for the faint of heart.

Here we are in mid-March, and that means spring is just around the corner. After a cold and challenging winter, the sight of the spring season is always a welcome relief here in the Ozarks.

The sight of spring can bring a sense of renewal or opportunity. Seeing the daffodils sprouting up in the yards along Main Street is a welcome reminder and sign that growth is always possible, even after the darkest winter. Making it through winter can also give us a sense of confidence, very similar to that feeling in school after completing a big term paper or project.

The start of spring has different meanings as you progress through life. When I was younger, this time meant the start of some things that I really looked forward to, such as jazz band competitions, track meets, baseball games, NCAA basketball tournament, concerts and graduations. And, of course it brought things that I didn’t look forward to, like completing term papers, yearend tests, taking the ACT test in high school, and getting fitted for a hideous tux for prom.

As you get older, the sight of spring brings the usual mix. I love seeing the green grass and the arrival of the rose blooms. But, those sights also bring the associated work to keep the yard nice and making sure the rose bushes and other flowers survive the coming months.

This also demonstrates that the change of seasons mirror our lives. There is never a perfect time, and the challenging times don’t last. For example, winter wasn’t all bad.

There were some beautiful days and fun times, except for that Super Bowl game this year.

And, spring won’t be perfect and fun every day. Every year spring has moments in which it acts like a rebellious teenager. Does the windstorm this past May 26 ring a bell?

The main thing for me is to make the most of the days ahead. There are so many opportunities that come with the approaching season. I am looking forward to sitting on my patio in the evenings, listening to the birds, tree frogs and owls while reading or talking with family and friends. These are definitely things that I can’t do when it’s 10 degrees outside.

So, enjoy the sight of your “I made it through the winter” participation trophy, and keep that vision in your mind when the heat and humidity start to rise, and you’re tempted to complain about the hot weather.

Of course, we would never do that. But, if you start to complain, remember your winter trophy is watching and judging.

Happy Spring.

Jon Horner is a local community bank president, published author, newspaper columnist, and motivational speaker. He can be reached at jonhorner77@gmail.com.