As the World Turns

"Twigs in Snow" photo by Pheralyn Dove

Icicles and deep
snow drifts precipitate the
arrival of Spring

The air is frosty. Temperatures are at an all time low. Snow storm after snow storm keeps closing in on the heels of the last brutal assault.  Yet I keep thinking about how beautiful the blooms will be this coming Spring. A perfect metaphor for what my life looks like right now. Is the same true for you?

The frozen barren ground is doing its work in secrecy, preparing for an awakening. A rebirth of lush trees, plants and flowers await in gestation.  I too am in a suspended space. Waiting to be born again. An amorphous blob surrounds me, like so many snow drifts covering the surface, hiding what’s underneath. But I continue to work away in the silence of cold nights, dark mornings. Everything appears frozen - lifeless. But Spring is almost near.

There are some aspects of Winter I absolutely adore. Grace and stillness and purity suggest such romantic poetry. However the magic of the beautiful falling snowflakes is so fleeting. Fresh powder soon gives way to grey slush, muddy remnants of the elusive fleece. One minute the idyllic crystals turn the city into a winter wonderland. And then Poof! The magic is gone! It’s replaced by the tough conditions brought on by the harsh cruelties of the season. But wait!  We awake one morning to find lavender and white crocuses popping up. Later on we notice it’s still daylight, yet it’s after 6 p.m. We breathe in, breathe out, smile, shed a few layers and revel in all the new creations springing up. Suddenly we realize we survived the roughest Winter of the 21^st century.

So my friends, hold on. For many of us, (myself included) the going is rough right about now. But please. Hold on. Keep the faith. Keep chipping away at your passions. Know deep down that the steady work you are doing during this unprecedented polar vortex will one day bloom and blossom. The deep freeze will thaw to reveal a revival of beautiful freshness. Spring is on the way soon. I promise.

Asante Sana. Peace and Blessings Always.