When the Sun Won’t Shine

Overcast skies. Fog. Gloom. I wonder, is weather a state of mind? It is for me, as I am much more likely to feel sunny myself when the sun is shining. When the day is gloomy and gray, I’d just as soon stay in bed and take a nice nap.

And when the sun isn’t shining in my heart, life feels dreadful. Sometimes sadness overcomes me and I feel like I can’t go on.  When my heart is sad, gloomy and gray, I feel like the clouded skies. There ‘s no hope in sight. Gray clouds stretch from horizon to horizon, and the weariness on my heart seems endless, too.

Have you ever flown on an airplane, climbing up through a bank of clouds? Sometimes it’s so thick you wonder how the pilot can see. The moisture-laden clouds streak droplets of water across the window. All is dark and gray.

Then suddenly, you are in a different world! The plane breaks through the tops of the clouds and it’s a new day! The sun is blazing and reflecting off a sea of cottony looking clouds that create shapes in the dips and valleys, and reach high peaks to look like the tops of mountains piercing through the thick, white stratum.

The realization of this glorious sunlight atop the clouds is a good perspective to keep. All that can be seen from below the clouds is gray and gloomy. Yet just above that thick layer of clouds, the warmth of the sun is blazing. Surely it won’t be long before the sun breaks through the clouds and changes the view of the landscape below.

And when it is stormy in my life, and I feel heavily laden with worries or despair, it helps to keep a perspective that it won’t always be this way. I try to remember that tomorrow is another day and things will change.

I woke this morning to dim morning light revealing clearer skies. Indeed the troubles of yesterday had floated out to sea, and the growing light revealed the stormy skies had passed. It was another reminder to remember that nothing stays the same. Change is the only constant in life.

So bask in the light when life brings you sunshine. And when we have gray days, and we will, it helps to keep the perspective that whatever problems we are dealing with will surely resolve with time. Don’t get overwhelmed. Step back and take a deep breath. And try to remember that tomorrow the skies will change, and you will be dealing with a completely different day.

Yesterday is gone. Live for today, with great hope for tomorrow

January Thaw

The snow is melting in this early January thaw. Truth is, the ground hasn’t even frozen yet! After a ridiculous amount of snow last winter that reminded me of the winters of my childhood, many predicted another severe winter this year.

Today may be close to the 50 degree mark. And I am not complaining!

I took a very long hike yesterday, enjoying mild temperatures and sunshine and the companionship of a sweet, young friend who is visiting for a few days. Today’s warm weather promises that we will be out and about again, enjoying the warmth of this early January day.

The way I figure it, even if we get dumped on with snow and temperatures plummet for the rest of the season, we are already way ahead of the game.

The blizzard of '11
Where's my picnic table?

I don’t mind winter. I actually like the cold air. When we received a little dusting of snow recently, the air smelled fresh and invigorating. I even enjoy when the temps are low, in the teens or single digits, if there is no wind. The cold air slapping me in the face makes me feel alive!

The real problem with winter is its longevity. Long after the dreams of a white Christmas have faded, and the long, dark months of January and February drag on, winter lingers into what should be springtime months, with cold winds and chill and the ever-present possibility of a late spring snowstorm. This has been known to occur in early May in Wisconsin. In 1990 a spring snowstorm wreaked devastation to trees already leafing out for the year. Many trees split right down the middle with the added weight of snow on the branches full of leaves that were laden with the heavy, wet snow that fell.

So I will pause today to enjoy the warmth, knowing it won’t last. And I will be thankful for the blessing of sunshine to aid in preventing seasonal affective disorder. We won’t be able to see animal tracks in the snow today, but there may be some fresh ones in the mud along the trails.

For those of you who love the snow, be patient. I'm certain we won't get missed by every storm this season. Besides, I bought new snow shoes last year and I am a little anxious to use them again.

Wherever you are, I hope you can take time to just breathe today, and find reasons to be thankful. Be present in this day. Each one is a gift to be carefully opened and treasured, and enjoyed.