Welcome Winter

It's that time of year again -- you know, the one where my southern family all taunt me about their warmer weather and try to entice me to move closer to them. I always answer that I would miss the change of seasons; and this is true. What I fail to do is to explain why it is that I would miss winter. I'm no more fond of below-zero wind chills than any of my thin-blooded kin; and I've actually been known to complain when the temperatures drop and I'm required to wear a coat. Those winter sensations are not on my list of things I would miss if I lived in a balmier climate. What I would miss is the wonderful part of winter that is born of my reaction to the cold. Winter sends me inside -- not only inside my house where I can stay warm, but also inside myself where I can find the quiet, hibernating part of my soul that seeks renewal in the dim light of winter. As the fresh green of Spring and the warm joy of Summer growth and the fire of Autumn suddenly become stark and white and quiet, a special kind of silence calls me to turn my attention inward and see myself clearly.