HELLO OLD MAN WINTER
Winter has finally hit our town of Jackson, Michigan. Thanksgiving had a light dusting of snow that continued into the next day of December 1, 2024. And now we have several inches of snow that is planning to stay awhile.
But the snow did not last and thus the picture I had planned to take of the snow-covered landscape will have to wait for another day.
There is something about winter that makes us want to hibernate. The early darkness, the cold air, the barren trees – it all whispers “stay inside, stay warm, stay still.”
And perhaps that is not a bad thing.
Finding purpose within the winter dimming light:
Winter is a season of rest. The trees are not dead – they are resting. The animals are not gone – they are hibernating. The earth is not finished – it is preparing.
Maybe we are meant to rest too.
Maybe the shorter days are permission to slow down, to reflect, to go inward. Maybe winter is not something to endure but something to embrace.
During my mother’s final months, I felt like I was in a constant state of winter. Everything felt cold and dark and still. But looking back, I see that winter was necessary. It was a time of preparation. It was a time of quiet love. It was a time of simply being present.
Do not fight the winter. Find purpose within it.
Light a candle. Make a warm drink. Sit by the window and watch the snow. Call a friend just to say hello. Read a book. Write in a journal. Rest.
Spring will come. But for now, winter has its own gifts.
What does winter offer you today?