The Gifts of Early December

Winter is almost here. 

 I can taste it in the coolness of the air. 

 I can see it on my breath. 

The time has come to dial down the noise and spend some quality time meditating and praying. 

For me, early winter is the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when I like to skip away from the bustle of preparing for the holidays and spend some quiet time in the woods.  

It isn't terribly cold yet and the sun obliges with shadows that are only this interesting once a year. 

My eyes notice textures and colors that are obscured by the green and gold of other seasons.

The light is free to play on the water.

And the mauve and gray tones compete with black and white in the late afternoon clouds.

The hearty birds stand guard over the wetlands and provide company for a solitary walker.

My heart feels bigger in the last weeks before the solstice.  I find so much to contemplate in the silence of the woods.  Everyone else is somewhere else and I can find all the gifts I need, right here in the woods. And I give thanks for them!

The Color of Solitude

I just can't be lonely as long as the birds are around to keep me company.  Solitude seems to be something one grows into, like the new clothes we got to start school many years ago.  

When I was younger, I craved the company of others. I always had the radio on, and for years, the music was there, whether I was doing housework or baking bread. 

Now, I don't listen to music as often, and when I do, it tends to be something classical.... and soothing.  No, I much prefer the sound of silence, punctuated by an occasional bird. 

In autumn, the crickets continue their scratching until the temperature drops and they too, embrace the silence. The birds are quieter, perhaps conserving energy for the harsh weather to come.  

The wind, still gentle, spends the day caressing the trees. Together they dance and sing a melody that I could listen to for hours. 

And, after solitude and quiet, I appreciate, all the more, my family and friends when I hear their sweet voices again!

Thought for today:  
            
   "I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity." 
               - Albert Einstein