To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.
Aristotle
This winter season, I have truly embraced that quote by Aristotle. There is a unique form of beauty in a snowfall, but you do not recognize it until you take a step outside and experience it yourself.
At least I did not.
It is February, and everyone is DONE.WITH.WINTER. It is currently 40 degrees outside, the sun is shining, and the birds are chirping. Spring fever is in the air! Is spring actually coming? Maybe. But, I remember just last week we had a snow storm, and we were in single-digit temperatures. In past years, I was grumbly about winter just like most others. I never really enjoyed it unless I was downhill skiing, tubing, sledding, or ice skating. To wake up in the morning and not want to get out of my bed or leave the car because I was cold, to look outside the window and see a barren landscape, and to go into school as the sun was coming up and leave at the end of the day with the sun setting was unfortunate and depressing. There was nothing special about winter.
…Or maybe I just did not understand how to enjoy it….
This winter season I have surprised myself by being content with the brisk temperatures, white landscape, and limited daylight. I enjoy waking up and discovering a fresh covering of snow on the ground. I look forward to walking out of my dorm and feeling the crispness of the wind on my face as I walk to class. I enjoy bundling up in my puffy coat, hats, and gloves. I am appreciative of the sun when it makes an appearance, and I embrace it. Trust me, I know this is abnormal.
So, what changed? Why have I been perceiving winter to be so joyful?
My perceptual alteration occurred a few weeks into winter when my boyfriend and I decided to take a walk in a snowfall. We stepped into the night all bundled up in our jackets and headed down the street. I was in awe of how peaceful it was. The snow dusted gently upon me and blanketed the ground around me. The only sound was that of our shoes crunching the snow beneath us. No birds. No squirrels. No vehicle engines. The rays of light from street lamps lit a path for us, and there was a loud absence of wind. It was so still. My boyfriend and I walked in silence embracing the peace around us. How beautiful a moment it was.
Winter is often labeled as dead, dirty, dull … you get the point. But is it actually? What if we instead view winter as a period in which we are gifted of several fresh starts and reminded of God’s beauty?
A snowfall is like a fresh start. The dirty snow that patches the ground we tread upon is covered with a fresh layer, and this symbolic image is applicable to us. In a snowfall, we are reminded that no matter what we have lying beneath us that is dirty or dull, we are given another opportunity to begin again in a new and still beauty. God places little joys within our lives, such as a precious snowfall, to remind us of this and to bless us with His love. New beginnings are constant. They are beautiful. God is constant. God is beautiful. And, God reminds us of this in the winter season.
Despite winter most likely coming to a close soon, you can still enjoy what is left of it. In the next snowfall, whether it is in this season or next year, I ask that you take a step into the stillness of your community. Bundle up. Embrace the brisk air and the freshness of it. Let the snowfall upon you and watch it cover the landscape. You could even bring a cup of hot chocolate and a friend with you! Just enjoy the beauty of it. Be reflective and contemplative within it.
Granted, I understand it is not always snowing during the winter season, but anticipate the next snowfall. When it isn’t snowing, appreciate the sun as it balances out days that may be cold and dreary. Take a step outside and soak it in. And, when it is snowing, recognize how precious and beautiful it is. Go for a drive and adore how the snow perches upon tree branches. Walk beneath the gift God is dusting down around us.
Snowfalls are precious. There is beauty in winter, and you need to personally experience what exactly that beauty is to truly understand it. Therefore, with my attempt to share my experience with you, I hope I have encouraged you to view it in a different light and are anticipating being able to experience it for yourself.
