MARCH: THE MONTH OF CHANGE AND IRISH LUCK According to the western calendar, the first day of spring falls on the 20th of March, a month that usually feels quite chilly, so during March, we begin living in Springtime while feeling that winter has not yet ended. Many who write about the month examine this two-sided quality by describing variable aspects of nature like cold weather changing to warm then back to cold, flowers starting to bud then being covered with snow, and gray skies turning blue then back to gray in a single day. If only Mother Nature would arrange for more regular spring-like conditions throughout March, we’d all be happier. But, as many commentators note, the month’s weather is unpredictable, and hopes of spring are often dashed by a sudden return to winter. However, despite its unpredictability, March can be seen as one of the cheeriest months of the year. Flowers and trees are budding, spring is on the way, and the major holiday, St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, offe...