The Subtle Beauty of Winter

For some, winter means a sort of hibernation, bundling up in bulky coats and gloves, making sure the heating system is functioning, and spending as little time as possible outdoors, preferring to enjoy the benefits of central heating, blazing fireplaces, and evenings snuggled up in a favorite easy chair.

But people who rarely venture outside in the coldest season of the year miss a subtle, minimalist beauty and an almost invisible natural world that still lives quietly around the edges of our civilization. Trees and bushes lose their leaves, exposing a stark, yet almost delicate, structure, while surprising bursts of red and yellow bittersweet punctuate the otherwise monochromatic landscape. Evergreens also provide a bit of color as they remind us of the festive Christmas season, while prints in the snow of our backyards suggest the presence of curious neighborhood cats or perhaps wild rabbits, bobcats, deer, or even an occasional coyote.

People who wrap themselves in winter wear, grumble as they shovel their driveways and then bundle themselves into their heated automobiles to make the trek to and from work or the local supermarket, would do well to get out of their cars, take a walk around the block or the backyard, and look. Simply look. The subtle beauty that is winter may provide a much needed shift in perspective during the coldest, and sometimes demanding, season of the year.