November is fully here and as the nights get darker and the temperature continuously declines, all of nature seems to point to the inevitable conclusion that there are dark cold days ahead. But are they really dark and cold, or is that idea merely in our head and as a matter of fact isn’t every thing we do in our life a matter of what’s in our head?
I am not being flippant. It is a concept we rarely question. We agree with it wholeheartedly but its the living of it that gives us lots of gestation problems. It’s like we want to see dark cold days ahead. We want an excuse to resign ourselves and hide. It’s as if we are seeking permission to stop being who we are because the weather changed.
If happiness and peace are to permeate themselves in our lives, than without question we have to stop deciding how we are going to feel or what we are going to do based on the weather that is ahead.
Dark and cold is just an idea because quite frankly, and I don’t know about you, I spend most of my winter indoors and indoors the weather is very bright and warm. Yes, outside the sun doesn’t shine as much, and the snow and frost indicates frigid temperatures, but inside, ah inside, thats a different story.
I would humbly propose that such is also the case when it comes to the way we live our lives. We live through and in concepts of our own creations. We accept the label of shy, poor, unlovable, unworthy, unimportant, or struggling. We accept them for one reason or another, but the concepts with which we define our lives can change. We are in control how we see ourselves. We can choose to live in dark cold days, or sit warming ourselves by the fireplace, or snuggled under a warm comforter and blanket.
There is something magical about winter. Something beautiful about winter. Nature forces us to be really close to one another. We have to dwell in the same cave. We have to share a small space, and with it come many struggles that are unnoticed in the limitless open space.
Winter is coming. Problems in your life are coming, or perhaps winter is just an opportunity to do something inside. Perhaps your problems or challenges are just that. Opportunities that will make you someone who you’ve never been before.
There are dark cold days ahead, but you don’t have to get down and become dark and cold as well. You can continue to be the light that you are. You can continue to smile. You can be the wonderful person that you are.
Being. Being doesn’t stop just because the weather gets nasty or inconvenient. Questionable and undesirable weather only hampers doing.
We will do less, perhaps over the cold winter months, but that doesn’t mean we cannot be more engaged, more awake, and more committed than ever to living meaningfully.
Cover photo generously provided by photographer Eli Pastor via unsplash.com
