My gardens tend to me as much as I tend them. We cultivate each other. Come December, not even the business of the holidays and special events are a deep enough salve for what ails me.
My soul is nourished by my relationship with the rich soil, warm sun, dancing butterflies, and ripe fruits of the earth. In early winter, as my wanderings onto the land and communing with so many of our partners and allies in creation begin to subside, so does my joy, my energy, and my hopefulness.
Every winter, I have to clear a new path toward spring. Each December, I must teach myself anew how to embrace the coldness, the migration or hibernation of neighboring creatures, the lack of warmth and light this new season will bring with it.
It is okay if we pause to breathe deeply and learn to better appreciate the wonder and mystery that lies in the darkness that is winter. This season is an invitation to create your own personal version of a long winter’s nap.
This message is an excerpt from “Winter boundaries, winter wonder” by Venice R. Williams in the December 2019 issue of Gather magazine.
Do you enjoy these free Daily Grace messages? If so, donate now to further the ministry. Use the “where needed most” line. Subscribe to Gather magazine for full articles excerpted in Daily Grace.
reply
retweet
favorite