(Madisyn Taylor)
In the depths of winter, we can forget that bare trees will once again be full with foliage, and grass and flowers hidden beneath a blanket of white or a deceptive covering of hardened earth will burst forth once again. While they slumber, nature is continuing its work at the centre of each living thing. We can think of our blankets and warm clothes as similar protection, like the cocoon that surrounds a changing caterpillar, while we undergo our own inner transformational work. In the meantime, the lights that twinkle and the fires that warm us can serve to remind us of the flame of life that burns within us.
In order to stoke our inner flame, we can use the time indoors to focus our attention on our homes and families. We can become distracted by the world outside and forget that we need to nourish the lights that warm our hearts. Interacting at a soul level can be done by sharing stories from our hearts, doing projects together, dancing, or playing games. Devoting energy this way helps us build a stronger bond that will sustain us once the world allows us each to pursue our individual goals again.
Winter allows us to feed the flame in our own centres by reading or researching to nourish our dreams and plans for the future. This can mean catching up on all the quieter things we wanted to do but didn't have time for, like reading books, watching movies, or listening to music. We may have set aside creative pursuits such as painting or writing that can be brought back to the centre burner now. It is also a great time to do some journaling to look back on the year that has passed and perhaps the years before this one in preparation for forward motion in the coming year. Nature's wisdom offers us opportunities to nourish our inner seeds of hope in preparation for our future, so let us enjoy the inner warmth and be grateful for it all.
My Thoughts:
This yearly blog has come full circle without any planning on my part.
Day 1 (January 1) – Honouring Everyday Life
Use the good china every day, as today is all that matters.
The temptation on the last day of every year is to reflect on what has happened, to pick out the highs and lows and to remonstrate about things that could have been done better, the decisions made (and the wrong ones) and generally try to compartmentalise the last twelve months into a neat package … however, that would serve no other purpose than to write-off a whole year in a few lines. To somehow draw a line under it to be filed away before the new year kicks in.
Like most things in life the numbers are just that … numbers. They go up as in age, anniversaries, time together and years apart, but they also go down in the time we have left on this earth and whilst there is never any regulations about growing-up there is no halting the act of growing older.
Until very recently the winter months were all about snow. Longing for it, playing in it, snowmen and mice, sledges, snowball fights and hot chocolate, with marshmallows naturally cupped in mittens watching the New Year fireworks. These days whilst my heart still longs for such things my mind and body crave more sedate activities. Cosying-up with a book, knitting, films, mulled wine and watching the younger set do all the things we all once did.
That makes me sound ancient and decrepit but far from it … it is just a more practical approach. More mature (?) … maybe, but it is no less fun.
PS: there are just so many new things that I still want to do … my challenge next year is to write one new poem every day (ohh and get the next book published … the one I have been working on FOREVER or so it seems).