I read a quote the other day that said, “Winter is proof that letting go can be beautiful”, and I really love that sentiment. Imagine letting go, allowing your bare raw self to fall prey to your extreme surroundings and surviving that harsh, bitter cold.
Winter is often seen as a time when the weak die. It sounds unpleasant, almost painful, and yet, to me, it feels somehow refreshing, powerful and liberating, exposing ourselves in naked majestic grandeur; filled with the color of our imaginations. It seems a time when the strong become stronger. A time when each lifeless tree holds captive the heart and warmth of spring deep within its roots.
Often winter is looked upon as icy, harsh, unpleasant, and uninviting– but in truth I think the removal of the old, the near death, and the struggle to survive the cold add value to the renewal process that will come in the spring. It seems like everything sleeps in winter, but really it is a time of renewal, reflection, and regenerating growth.
As you embrace the end of this year and the beginning of a new one, may you learn to flourish through the frozen and understand that ‘to appreciate the beauty of a snowflake you must stand out in the cold’; for it is in the crispness of the air, the crackle of our footsteps, and the sparkle of the frost that we discover that this winter season forms our character and brings out our very best selves.
This issue is filled with resources and insight from our fabulous writers on what to leave behind and what to carry forth. It is my sincere hope as you immerse yourself in the pages of this winter issue that you be inspired, encouraged, and find some beauty around you in this season of your life. I hope that as you approach your winter season wherever you are physically, mentally, emotionally, or otherwise, that you consider what to let go of and what to carry into the next year. Take time to reflect on what has happened, what is to come and what to leave behind. Embrace the bridge this season between letting go and gaining new growth. Understand that this season will not last forever– but acknowledge and welcome the light that peers through the darkness. Adopt the pace of patience that winter presents. Enjoy the slow pace and the simple things: like comfort foods, family gatherings and moments of silence and rest, while
making room for what will come from the celebration of experiencing winter. This winter, this year, as we marvel at the wonder and admiration it holds, imagine how many lessons will we gain and how much insight we will have by embracing our winter season with the fire that consumes us. Imagine letting go, allowing your bare raw self to fall prey to your
extreme surroundings and surviving that harsh, bitter cold. Imagine emerging from that in all your majestic grandeur refreshed, liberated and powerful. You’ve got this! Flowers grow back even after the harshest winters, and you will too!
stay fabulous,
stay you,
“mi”