today as I walked in the dead of winter
I saw new life
newly emerged life
among the fallen pine needles
among the rotting leaves.
a mushroom broke through the decay
an iris hoped for spring
the dead of winter fools us
for deep down, it is not a time of death
it is a time when deep work occurs
when we reflect on what has been
when we imagine what may come
and, eventually,
as the solstice passes, and days of darkness wane
light and life and hope break ground
and we see ourselves, the world, in new
and vibrant ways.
Inspired by Walking 