Winter Gratitude

I am reminding myself, as temperatures dip way below zero, that winter in the Berkshires is an amazing time of year. The snow coats the trees, icicles shimmer in the sun, and bright red berries create art against a backdrop of snow. Winter is the season to look within, to retreat to a warm cozy place, maybe next to a fire, with a cup of cocoa and good book. It is also a time to immerse oneself in silence and the stillness of the mother. Nature slows down and rests up for the arrival of spring, with blossoms bursting and new life emerging. Spring is a time to create, a time to grow, but winter is the season to quiet, to sit and gather energy for the upcoming months. I find myself wanting to get more accomplished, run further, and work harder. Then the bitter cold steps in and brings me indoors to the fireplace, to the curled up cats and warm comforter. I find God in the stillness of the season, when only the sound of chickadees interrupts my reverie. Today I will absorb the strength of my silent oak tree and the beauty of the pristine white snow in the field behind my home. Today I will thank God for a season of rest, of contemplation and stillness.

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About Me

I wrote and published my first blog post on May 26, 2009. I was about to turn 36 and had been accepted to Mount Holyoke College as a non-traditional student, on my way to completing a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Medieval Studies. I had managed, finally, to know what general direction I was traveling. As a self proclaimed voracious reader I knew that I needed a vocation that would allow me to engage daily with words: reading words, writing words, and hearing words. I also needed to eat, so I navigated my way to a teaching position and I began to fine tune my craft. I love to teach and I love my students, but I also needed to continue to hone my own literary technique, voice, and style. I continued my education in order to delve deeper into literature, making connections, and most definitely, writing. I gained more confidence as a reader as well as a writer of both creative and analytical text. That first blog post in 2009 is short, the writing average, and the topic mundane, but as I continued to learn from other writers I began to understand that to become a better writer I needed to write more. Each time I write and release a poem, a post, or a story, I hone my skills. I invite you along for the ride, for this journey of mine as I attempt to wrangle a wealth of ideas and competing directions into an organized freshly paved path to publication. I might get distracted along the way, but sometimes those detours lead us to amazing views and new friends. 

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