A Winter Message

A Winter Message--

It silently floats to the frozen ground.  Each flake nestles against the ones that came before forming a blanket of gentleness.  All is quiet.  All is peaceful.  A few deer tracks form a path across the patio.  In the light of morning bites out of evergreens will be visible.  Part of the winter process.

Pristine white will be everywhere when daylight comes.  No ugly around.  Only beauty as far as the eye can see.  Snow will rest on tree branches, on roofs, on evergreens.  Everything covered with sparkles.  And I thought sparkles were for the holidays!  Should the sun make its way through the clouds, the dazzling white will force us to run for sunglasses.  Without them we won't be able to take it all in.  We not only want to take it all in personally, but we also want to record it for the future.  We want to bring the video out a year from now and remark about how this was the worst yet most beautiful winter event in many years.

For awhile the challenges of life on planet earth will disappear under this heavy white blanket.  For a small bit of time we may forget that under the beauty is the brown.  That life has really not changed for many people.  Perhaps that is the way it should be.  We need beauty to help us see how things can be.  We need beauty to lead the way.  Beauty brings hope.  Hope fosters action.  Action means life changes.  Changes can mean progress toward making life better for everyone.  Yes, I love what the snow can mean.

In the morning I will put on warm clothes and walk through our yard.  I want to breathe in the look and feel of the earth dressed in Sunday best.  I want to experience nature before she forces everyone inside. It won't last forever.  Eventually, the sun will shine, the temperatures will warm and the snow will melt.  And I will look at the pictures and remember.

Yes, it brings hardship for people.  Yes, it means travelers often find themselves stranded.  That has happened to me several times.  But, it is winter.  We might remind ourselves that nature controls our movements during this season.  We might work on patience.  With ourselves and others.

When tomorrow arrives, how will you see the snow?  As a bother? A challenge? A headache?  Beautiful?  Will you grumble and complain about the mess you see?  Will you walk to your mailbox to retrieve the newspaper only to find nothing?  Will you think to put out seeds for the birds?  Will you check on your neighbor?  Will you make snow ice cream?  Will you marvel at the way something as simple as snow can transform the world for just a moment in time?

You will do what you will do.  So will I.  Whatever that looks like--may we all slow down our minds enough to take it all in.