Thoughts of Gratitude in Winter

C. Winter Valley Road n.sandhu 

Winter is finally here. Fallen leaves that have turned many shades of rust lay upon the cold earth. Others meet in the corners of wet pavement roads in Lexington, KY. The trees are barren silhouettes; skeletons reaching their arms up to the heavens making light of the darker months to come. The pine in my front yard greets me every morning through the misty window. Its arms are full, deep with green and still fragrant as ever. Winter, as bitter and cold is it can be, is one of my very favorite times of the year. 

C. Gingko  n.sandhu

C. n.sundew

At this time we are allowed to rest deeply. We have no choice much of the time but to do so. It is in this space that I find the sweet. How often I find myself spinning from one project to the next. 

When there is a moment to spare I tinker around until I find something in which to fill it. Most often it is not with what I most need; to simply take a break, center, and to breathe. Instead, I try to find a way to be more productive, as there are "so many things that I must catch up on!".

 The funny thing is, we never really catch up on all these

 "Pertinent things", do we? 

C Berry maze n.sundew

Sometimes, when we take a moment to rest, our perspectives are allowed time to shift; what is truly most important is able to present itself forward through that veil we allow to grow so thick.

This is why I like winter. There are less distractions than most months, things seem to become more apparent...for better or for seemingly worse.

In the winter months our energy falls to the earth as do the energies of the plant world. It is a time for grounding, a time of the roots, a time to digest our conditioning from the past. It is here, when we face these things that we can observe and contemplate how we will choose to move forth in our world. 

C  Encapsulated Blade of Grass N.Sundew

It is in the winter that we are allowed the time and space to prepare for the spring and summer months ahead. The Winter solstice is the darkest day of the year but it also marks a point in which our days begin to once again grow longer. Our energy slowly moves from the inward energy of the earth back up and outward towards the sun and the sky. Tiny pink and yellow buds decorate the long arms and hands of trees. Cup like flowers peek out; little gems from under the ground that held them so quietly. 

So, though the winter months may appear to be long and dreary, maybe it's time to have another look. Wipe the fog from that window of yours and see what appears on the other side. It may not be the brightest in color, it may not be easy to find the beauty, but, this is naturally the time of year to slow down and reflect. What do you see that is beautiful? Those things are out there, their songs a bit quiet and, their contrast a bit light, but, they are there. 

I will leave you with this quote below by Melodie Beattie that so dearly tugs my heartstrings!

 Thoughts of gratitude inspired from a quote by Melodie Beattie that was recently shared by my yoga teacher, and friend, Anne Dean Watkins.  Thank you!

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." 

-Melodie Beattie