I have to say that I really don’t like the cold weather – in fact I have been heard to say – on more than one occasion recently – that I’m tired of it – as this little ditty puts it – “Noses are red – fingers are blue – I’m tired of winter – how about you”.

As I was walking the other morning – really not enjoying the damp and bitter cold – I simply told myself – that I had no option – but to ‘grin and bear it’ – to – ‘suck it up’ – for that is just how the weather is at the moment.

I guess this quote expresses a little of how I felt – ” What if my walk through the winter is not a wonderland – what if it’s more of a dreary decent into dark days – bathed in bitter cold – what if I pray for the sun to burst out of the gloomy grey sky – and offer a moment of midwinter mercy – what if the light is unable to shine through”.

I soon realised though – that – if I pause – look around me – I can always find something positive – amongst the gloom – it’s just that – some days – I just have to look a bit harder.

For – as the saying goes – “There’s really no such thing as good – or bad weather – there’s just ‘weather – and your attitude towards it” – and how true that is.

It’s so easy for me to forget to remain positive – as I battle the cold and the wet – but actually – being positive does not mean that I have to be bursting with happiness – “Staying positive does not mean you have to be happy all the time – it means – even on the hard days – you know that better ones are coming”.

I have already seen those signs of – ‘better days’ – those first signs that Spring is on it’s way – as snowdrops are appearing – and the green shoots of the spring bulbs push their way through that cold and wet soil.

And – I love the fact that – whatever the season – “nature gives to every time and season – some beauties of it’s own”

These short – dark days of Winter will end – I need to remember that – but – at the same time – I need to learn how to live well – even through it all – to embrace the lessons that the Winter can teach me.

For – Winter is the time when so much that is unseen happens – and I love how someone puts it here – “In a way – Winter is the real Spring – the time when the inner things happen – the resurgence of nature”

So – I guess I can chose to look at Winter in a different light – focus on all that is happening – ‘unseen’ – in spite of the damp and cold – and keep looking for those wonderful signs of Spring – staying positive – and remembering that – even on the dark days – better ones are coming.

Blessings – Lois