Winter teaches me patience:
Walk carefully on icy sidewalks.
Drive slower through snarled traffic.
Take more time to put on layers of clothes.
Wait for streets to be cleared of snow.
Be understanding about mail arriving late.

Winter strengthens my courage:
Go out into windy, freezing air.
Risk traveling on snowy roads.
Dress warmly and go for a walk.
Ski through woods, alone and free.
Be at peace in long days of darkness.

Winter brings me beauty:
Look up at the star-filled sky.
Pause to breathe the crisp air.
Vigil with steel-blue sunsets.
Marvel at frost etchings on windows.
Sink boots into soft, sensual powder.

Winter gives me silent hope:
Touch the terminal buds on branches.
Clear the snow and find green moss below.
Watch the sunlight fade, then linger longer.
Stand with the strength of evergreen trees.
Listen to birds cheeping at the feeder.

Joyce Rupp