image ©Sally Carroll
Across much of the nation, it seems as though Winter is reluctant to release its foothold on the here and now. Or perhaps it is merely that Spring, having awakened just slightly later than usual, decided to hit the snooze button just one. more. time… Who among us has not been tempted to do the same? Either way, we have this practical result: winter owns the moment.
Of course this dip in temperatures, this extended slumber, comes at the precise time when I had finally packed away all of my children’s long-sleeved articles of clothing, when outdoor activities are planned which do not lend themselves well to the encumbrance of a scarf and gloves (let alone a heavy coat), when most of us would much rather be shedding our sweaters than shivering in them. The temptation to gripe and grumble is great.
Yet, as we wait for the earth to reawaken to spring with our customary impatience, what if we were to pause and look around us for a moment at our immediate environment and consider this a gift? By most reports we are expecting an intensely hot, oppressive summer. Many days of perspiring and seeking the solace of shade or air conditioning are ahead of us in the not too distant future. If we can appreciate the quality of the air that surrounds us now, rather than lamenting that which is not in our present reality, how much can we gain? It is a simple shift in perception – the detachment from what we feel should be, the embracing of what is – but it is a transformative shift.
The process of seasonal transition has taken a detour. How much do we have to benefit if we allow our perspective to take one as well?
~ Christiana
