Monday, November 12, 2012

The Space in Between, Part XIV: Winter

Much snow has fallen in the past couple of days. Our neighborhood has been quiet, giving a sense of retreating indoors for a time as the ground clears, and choosing less often to venture out. Winter is like that -- long nights, persistent cold, and commonly traveled pathways sometimes turning hazardous. It brings a sense of hibernation and waiting, of time passing slowly in between seasons of growth. I am reminded today, though, that fallen leaves are even now replenishing the soil, and falling snow again building up the water supply, and while the results may not be seen for months to come, winter still nurtures growth.

Life sometimes feels "wintry" too -- long nights, minimal warmth, hazardous paths. It is good sometimes to venture out regardless, and good sometimes to pause awhile. While the benefits are often not seen until awhile after the struggle, I am reminded today that even fallen fruit of the past can nurture the soil for growth, and present hazards may yet nourish that which is to come.

Winter is not my favorite season in weather or in life. I tend to get impatient waiting for signs of new growth. But today I choose gratitude for the in-between seasons, too.

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