As our short-lived northern fall fades, temperature drops, leaves wither and blow away, water freezes, days are shorter and darker… We must prepare for the inevitability of the long, bitter, and cold winter.
For most, it is a little depressing to see everything green and full of life die away, go into dormancy or hibernation, or migrate far away. The sun (giver of “life” in many ways) seems to never be around, its warmth and light doesn’t seem to penetrate the atmosphere. We get up and go to work in the dark, and come home and it’s dark. And up here, there is no telling how long it will last.
I actually love winter. It is challenging and harsh and raw- and a little unforgiving if you aren’t prepared. The cold is crisp and clear, it wakes you up. And the way a fresh snowfall covers everything is just so beautiful and pure.
Thinking about this, I can’t help but see the similarities of the seasonal changes of Minnesota to the seasons I’m going through in my life right now. I apologize in advance for some of the explanations that may be over-horticultural for the average person.
I am in the fall.
This is a season that doesn’t spend a whole lot of attention on growth, or moving forward, or reproducing (bearing fruit). It is more about harvesting (taking away) all of the fruit (what all of our energy has been put into) of our summer labor. It is about learning to let go of parts of us that we no longer need. Taking most of our nutrients and energy (hopes and desires) from our external parts and moving them to our roots or our center (to our God) where they are better protected from the coming season. We have to deal with pain, suffering, and death on the way to the center. We have injuries from the past seasons that prevent the proper flow of these nutrients. We have probably been pruned earlier in the season so our path back to our center is new or different. It takes a long time to adjust. As the temperatures get colder, gradually, day by day we take everything in. We stop. We wait.
It is very hard to look forward in these times. We are so focused internally, focused on surviving and preparing. Because we know of the inevitable cold coming. We know that it will be hard, and dark, and long. It doesn’t seem like there is a way to be positive- our hope is locked tight deep deep inside.
But Winter has to have its purpose too.
I think, for me it will be to spend more time inside myself with my roots, my God, our relationship.
If the cold wind, sub-zero temperatures, length, darkness, and harsh slap of frost are the wrath of God, there is a deep blanket of Jesus covering the ground where our roots are, protecting us in loving insulation.
