Living in the Midwest is a blessing and a curse. When it comes to the matter of seasonal changes, we are blessed with the ability to mark time with the changes of our environment: crisp white to new green; deep lush green to vibrant oranges and reds…and back to white.

Time suspended, from personal collection of this author

The curse is winter. Unless you are one of those seemingly few folks who like the activities and chill that winter brings, it usually means the gloom of short, dark days and cold that seeps into the marrow of your being. It means craving the sun on your skin and the option of hopping in your car and taking off across town without the routine of scraping, sweeping, and shoveling first.

I have been working on my relationship with winter the past few years, trying to gain a new appreciation for it.

During the COVID-19 winters of 2020 and 2021, I took a lot of walks (a lot of walks!). I realized there is a whole lot that happens out in the natural world while we are normally shut up in our houses, avoiding the dark of winter. There is a quiet that blankets the atmosphere in winter. Trails of perfect imprints in the snow from small explorers. A chill in the air that smells so fresh and clean, you forget there is a layer of old, forgotten leaf decay beneath the snow.

As miserable as winter can be, it can also be beautiful. And it is always, always necessary.

Perfect paw prints left by a scampering squirrel, from personal collection of this author

Did you know that trees do most of their transformation during the winter, and not in the spring when they begin to bloom and explode with foliage? It is the interior change that determines how well a tree will flourish in the spring and summer.

What a great perspective on the season of winter and the seasons of life that feel like winter. If you’re a fellow dreader of winter’s darkness, in what ways might you make peace with winter this year? How can you savor the slowed down passage of time?

When we are always in a rush to get through the troublesome or uncomfortable times, we miss the sweet moments nestled within them. This winter, let’s practice a new approach. Let’s weather the winter with grace for ourselves and for the season that allows us to turn inward.

Snow crystals, from personal collection of this author

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