After Monday’s post with the little lilacs, I think I’m ready to face winter directly now. …For the time being.
On my daily walks with Annie, I’ve been noticing more of the high and low spots on the land; the patterns and “grain” of the lawns and gardens; the simple, macro contours mapped out by thin patches of snow. I find myself observing and connecting with the ground and my surroundings differently. It feels more fundamental and raw. I’m not captivated by a wash of color or the flourish of foliage and blossoms. I’m exposed to quieter, more basic revelations–highlights and shadows, points of focus and gaps.
It’s a very subtle reminder that people and circumstances aren’t ever just what they seem, that we cover ourselves with color and flourish for better and for worse. It’s also a good reminder to always consider the bones in a situation–get to the core issues and goals.
The lessons of the wintry landscape are good for me, especially now as I continue in my job search and keep exploring new relationships and possibilities. I suppose they’re good for any one of us who is facing uncertainty, feeling insecure or unsafe. They’re also worthwhile for those of us who are thinking about trying something else, personally or professionally.
As I’ve come to realize on my walks, winter isn’t just the pop of the holidays followed by a retreat into the cold and dark. Winter is a time for mindful movement and spiritual foraging. …Just as this is the most opportune time to re-examine the bones and structure of our property and gardens, winter is a quiet time when we can give our attention to our live’s underpinnings.
If you’re doing some of that spiritual foraging this winter, feel free to share your thoughts or experiences here in the comments. Or, if you’re observing and re-examining the elements in your home and garden, feel free to share your ideas here, too. It’s likely both impulses are related. After all, as Sydney Eddison once wrote, “Gardens are a form of autobiography.”
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