Winter’s beauty is not lost to me. I love the full moon peeking through the giant cottonwood’s stark branches. I love the sight of softly fallen snow… so pure, so fresh, so new. I love the clean smell of the biting winter air. Yes, I could be in love with winter if I could live through it as it was meant to be lived.
Winter, to the ancients, was a time of respite from the labors of spring, summer, and fall. Winter was the time to huddle by the family hearth and rejuvenate and replenish the body, mind, and spirit. It was a time to rejoice in the bounty given by the earth mother, as well as a time to feel as though one was being cradled in her nurturing embrace. Winter was the time to reconnect to family, friends, and one’s self. By its very nature, it is the time for introspection…a glorious luxury lost to most of us in this modern era of always being “on the move.”
I’ve come to understand how the seasons of our lives are so intricately entwined with those of nature. It’s so obvious when you take the time to look. Life makes more sense when the comparisons are drawn. Spring…everything is new and buzzing with excitement. There is a palpable electrical current running through the newly budding flora, as well as through our newly forming bodies. Thoughts and action are often as one. Summer…beautiful, more mature; often, an overwhelming sense of nurturing is present. Fall…a time to slow down and take stock of all, thus far, reaped.
I am in the fall of my life. Life is richer and more intensely felt than ever before. The colors of my life often reflect, as Lazarus has said, “a beautiful sadness.” There are great insights and brushes with the Divine. There is also the falling away of the old…habits, patterns of thought, the knowledge that some of those dearly loved will begin transitioning back to Source. As the leaves who have served their purpose begin to fall, acceptance and appreciation of the rhythms of life take root. The hues are deep and draw me in, just as does an autumn sunrise or sunset.
With the turning of the Wheel, we come to winter…ah, winter. I feel its presence. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have fear around its coming. It has its own beauty in shades of black and white. Its contrasts are more defined. The winter of our lives should be a time when the serenity of knowing who we truly are is present. Our focus, ideally, should be about sharing the wisdom gathered during the other seasons. It’s the time to look at all the beautiful leaves we collected, turn them over in our hearts and minds, and decide where they might best be shared. If, through life’s seasons, enough seeds have been planted, nurtured, and acknowledged for the beauty of the gifts given, we will not be living the “winter of our discontent.” For myself, I would like to have laid down my burdens and enjoy floating downriver, letting the current take me home.
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