Waiting like Noah

This morning, at Mass, we heard the account of Noah sending out a raven or dove after certain increments of time, to find out if the land was dry and ready for life again. 
 
Genesis doesn’t say what everyone did in the meantime. 
 
They (humans and many animals) were on this large craft for many weeks.  Surely, they were eager to put their feet on dry land again. 
 
Earlier, as I announced rosary and Mass, which would be held in our chapel shortly, I recalled that it was February 15th, a day which had been designated by my dad as the “official last day of winter.” His explanation for this title was that “It might snow, and it might get cold – but it’s not going to last too much longer!”  (Here in Grand Forks, ND – a couple hundred miles north, February 21st might be a more realistic date.)
 
As Noah’s dove returned with an olive leaf, the inhabitants of his ark probably shared similar sentiments of hope: “It might smell in here, and we might be running low on commodities – but we should be getting out of this ark pretty soon!” 
 
This evening, as I was upstairs doing aide work, I noticed that the sky was still half light, and it was after 6 p.m.!  Saying a prayer of thanks for the lengthening days, I went on my way. 
 
Like the survivors on Noah’s ark, and like my dad, I, too, am hopeful for brighter days ahead, and thankful for the gifts of new life (even if not yet here). 
 
I’m thinking I should start planning my garden.  After all, here, in the “north country,” we are wise to start some of our seeds indoors.

“As long as the earth lasts,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
Summer and winter,
and day and night
shall not cease.”  (Gen. 8:22)