The morning sky from my front porch earlier this week. 

On most winter days, we can look out the window and solemnly hum, “all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray.” It’s tempting to pull the curtains and find solace in hot cocoa, flannel pajamas, and Netflix, but don’t miss the loveliness of a winter sky.

While an endless silver sky can provide its own peaceful beauty, there’s nothing like the surprise of a crystal clear winter morning after days of bleakness. The cold air seems to magnify the sunshine, and the earth sparkles, reminding us of its dormant splendor. Twilight paints the sky with magical colors we almost forgot existed.

Having let go their cluttered leaves, the trees teach a lesson in minimalism. Bare. Naked. Authentic. We see the strength of their bones. They become striking sculpture against the winter sky.

Don’t be discouraged by winter’s surliness. Like our own lives, the beauty of the sky is sometimes obscured by clouds of chaos and disillusion, but be patient, be ready, because the sun shines again. And it is glorious.

The evening sky outside my back porch earlier this week. 

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” ~ Pema Chodron

Think On These Things ~ Alicia