Beauty and Silence...

Two years ago I visited the southwest and had the honor of walking through slot canyons and Native American cliff dwellings. I feel grateful to have the memories of that trip tucked away in my heart.

I remember feeling quieted by the beauty of the slot canyons. The hushed silence as you walked through, arms outstretched to touch both walls at the same time.

The cliff dwellings gave me the same quieted sense. Complex in their structure, but simple in the lifestyle of those who inhabited them.

For me, winter brings that same feeling. A time of contemplation and hushed beauty. I work, write, and go through my days feeling quieted. Soon, spring will come and I'll be busy in a different way, but for now I'm content to be tucked in. It is okay to slow down and allow myself the pleasure of a quieter time, where beauty and silence are one.

Early January...

The holidays are over and Mother Nature seems to understand as she presents us with expected ice-encrusted winds. Savoring every delicious moment of the snow flying sideways by my cabin windows, I'm unable to describe a single worthy phrase of my exhilaration. This brittle nip of winter wind wakes the drowsing child within and brings me joy.

Blustery weather comes in with a vengeance and sends me scurrying to find warmth. A reminder that each day is blissfully unlike the next, holding its secrets tight.

Stealing a quiet moment, I throw out seed and a crust of stale bread to the birds who bring such beauty on a gray January day. And before tucking in at night, I spend a second or two under my skylight. The stillness, the stars above and the promise of another unpredictable day to come.

I am grateful for all of this.