We can learn a lot of lessons from winter.
There’s the beauty of winter’s early snowfalls, giving us a moment to pause and wonder. There’s the deeper spirit of giving and humanity during the holidays that many embrace in the name of their personal beliefs and traditions.
And then there’s the slowing.
Not just the way time feels like it slows down come February, when, for many of us, there’s STILL a month of snow to come.
No, I’m talking about the slowing of nature.
Until the most recent century, living off the land, in one way or another, was the prime source of income and survival for the majority of the occupants of our planet.
And as such, during the warmer months, we made practical and industrious use of the natural resources around us, to maximize their yield, reap a bountiful harvest, and sustain our family and community economies.
We also knew that winter would inevitably arrive…and that we’d need adequate food, fuel, and shelter to get us to the next spring….(which, as I mentioned, can seem like FOREVER.)
Life, as we knew it, would often take a hiatus. As the world around us slowly shut down under blankets of ice and snow, we would follow suit. Life in the winter months got a more quiet, both inside and out, enabling a kind of rhythm that supported our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual refreshment.
Well, I believe the winter can still can herald that change. Oh, of course, holiday-driven industries will still ramp up for the year’s most productive month, and many overtime hours will be worked by tireless work crews. And then comes January, as we trudge back to our desks and offices, doing our best to cut through that inevitable “holiday hangover.”
And for February? Despite the pink candy hearts and mattress sales….more of the same.
But the presence of winter still signals our internal clocks to shut down once in a while, to give ourselves a few moments of peace and reflection. As the world around us sits frozen over….(or for those of my friends in the southern states, “feels a little chilly”)….it’s a good time for us to find a blanket, settle up next to the heater, and take time to breathe.
It’s time to seek out these moments—and busy people sometimes have to work to find them, because they don’t just magically appear.
But take a cue from the steely winter skies, bare trees, and arctic winds—it’s time to slow down, and let nature take its course.
My winter’s wish for all of you is to find some of these moments, and truly take time to enjoy them. Take advantage of the season’s change, and use it to recharge your own spirit.
And while you’re contemplating, think about ways to…
GROW BIG OR GO HOME!