winter...(p.30)

This week I have thought a lot about winter.

Winter has always been my least favorite season.

But I am growing to understand it more.

I am starting to see its importance.

Why nature must hibernate, go dormant, grow brittle, and fade away…

the significance of frosty temperatures for this journey.

I have never enjoyed the frigid air.

But, if I did not feel the cold, how would I know the warmth of a fire?

How nature slows down, how I slow down.

I am like the bear that hibernates.

My blankets are folded, bundled, and waiting;

the warm soup simmers,

and the logs are stacked by the fireplace.

I can begin to marvel at winter now.

The role it plays.

Spring cannot bud without its chilly friend.

Much happens where we cannot see…

Roots are strengthened

as its slowness nourishes me.

Each season has its tempo.

Each is necessary.

It's understandable to wish to live in full bloom entirely.

But that is not how nature works.

That is not how we work.

We are meant to feel the warmth and the cold.

The highs and lows and in-betweens.

And if we are lucky, we learn to embrace and see the beauty all along the way.

It's not always easy, but if we look for it, we will see beauty even in the winter. ❤️