Mid-January Thoughts

Now that we have some snow cover, winter has taken on a new face.  The other night, I stood in our bedroom window, captivated by the snow cascading from the roof and swirling gently to the ground.  The outdoor lights illuminated the scene, giving the snowflakes a sparkle of fairy dust.  There's more of a silence now in my snow-covered, mid-January world.  The dormant trees and gripping cold add to the stillness.  I noticed rabbit tracks zigzagging across our backyard this morning, revealing that life continues even in winter's quiet. But I don't see the animal, only where it's been.  The occasional chickadee breaks the spell by calling out its name, as if to say, "I'm still here!".  Days are often gray but the sunrises and sunsets are dramatic and deeply colored.  When the sun does shine, as it is today, everything appears bright and brilliant. The sun cuts through the sky and bounces off the snow in all directions. Although there are obviously such sunny days, I think of soothing gray when I think of January.  And just as this month brings a hushed landscape, I find myself quieter, too.  I like the slower pace, the invitation to go deeper within.  For every thing, there is indeed a season, and this season of quiet is a blessing.