Winter Skies, Petoskey State Park

 There is a shift in the skies that comes on once we are well past the autumnal equinox. Gone are the bright blues heralding the days of summer, replaced by the grays that will shadow us from now until warm days break again. As I sit here at Petoskey State Park, the gray sky is reflected upon the water of Little Traverse Bay, mirroring what many living here in this northern climate may feel as we shift towards winter. But for me, overcast skies don’t signal a downward spiral in my mood, but rather an excitement as the days get shorter, the time for contemplation and quiet longer. Gone are the many people who summer here and those remaining like myself have this beautiful place all to ourselves. The beaches are empty as are the hiking trails and natural areas. I feel myself awakening, and the brisk air of November heightens this awakening, creating in me a desire to stop, slow down and observe the change of season upon us.

The ancient Celts saw the sky and cloud formations as something that could offer inspiration, a nod toward setting goals, a look into the future and as I sit here today, I wonder what watching the sky will offer me. Many times when viewing natural forms, I ponder them for quite some time, waiting to see what message may come. The message is not something that can be forced or asked for rather it is something to wait for and receive.

A few minutes of gazing skyward causes me to see breaks in the clouds offering up both light and dark which I immediately see as a metaphor for my life. The message offers that life contains both good and bad, light and dark, but also makes me aware of the fact that you would not be able to notice the good in life without the bad. Light only shows itself, shines brightest after being in the dark. These thoughts bring me hope as I think about all the worrisome things that are happening in our world and reminds me that we will turn a corner and see good again. Or maybe it isn’t a matter of the world becoming good but rather encourages me to begin to seek out only the good and steer away from the bad. To work towards feel-good activities and stay away from those causing me pain. To do only what I love. Rather than get wrapped up in the awful news of the day on the TV or social media, to simply turn it off and turn on instead those things which bring me happiness.

So in this vein, lately I have walked away from Facebook and all of its negativity and chosen instead to spend time with my dogs each morning as they romp through our yard. I take a chair out onto the deck and sit and notice the leaves changing colors, the birds at my feeder, the clouds breaking over the tops of the trees. Changing bad into good.

And as life goes, sometimes the shift is the other way. Good into bad. Happy into sad as life interferes at times. One evening about a few weeks back, I sat awaiting my husband’s arrival home from work only to hear he had been in a car accident. Light became dark as we negotiated through dealing with the accident and before we knew it, all was taken care of and we moved toward light again. All is well now. This back and forth tension is what makes up the fabric of our lives, weaving a colorful tapestry full of difficult and joyful experiences.

So as our skies shift into winter gray, and our days get shorter, we are offered an opportunity to allow ourselves to bind with the energy of the season. Summer with its longer days bring an expansion of energy while the darkness of winter allows us to go slow down and go inward. This awareness makes me wonder if people dislike winter because it allows more time for self-introspection as it can be scary to go inward and face our truths. To think about our lives and how we are living them. But much can be gained by taking an honest look at ourselves and noticing changes that need to be made to lead more rewarding lives. And with the beauty of the winter season, may we find beauty within ourselves.