Winter

Winter is here.

Winter. There are so many beautiful things about it. It’s the season when we huddle under blankets near the fireplace. Christmas-The most wonderful time of the year-happens in winter. When our kids are little, we build snowmen, then go inside to warm up with hot cocoa. Winter.

There are some downsides to winter. It can be cold, gloomy, lifeless. I’m not going to lie, that’s how I feel to my very core as I write this. For the last week, I’ve been in a funk. I don’t like funks. My negative feelings seem to take over, and my mind goes to dark places I’d rather it not go. I long for spring, summer, and fall.

In my almost 48 years, I’ve learned some things. One of them is this: there is no spring without winter. There are no flowers without rain, no new life without the death of an old one.

So for now, I will do the best I can to embrace the season that I find myself in.

In the darkness, it helps to remember those who have walked the earth before us and struggled in similar ways. Saint Monica was such a faith filled woman, but not without many seasons of grief in her life. She prayed faithfully for years until her prayers were answered. That woman endured more than I care to in my life. She was humble while she lived, and now her life inspires a countless number of people.

We are never alone, no matter what. If you are going through a season of sadness like I am, remember that winter does not last forever. I am praying for you, and I welcome your prayers for me if you feel led.

Winter is here, but spring is on its way. ❤️