Melting Snow
Seasons Give Way To New Beginnings
by Eric Elkin
The snow is melting. Soon it will be gone, and I will miss it. This is not a popular point of view, not even in Minnesota. Winters in the north are long, dark, and cold. The most basic of tasks become labor-intensive in the cold. Driveways need to be shoveled. Icy roads make the daily commute slow and dangerous. Even cars need a good ten minutes of warming up to function properly.
Those who celebrate the melting of snow are the ones who dream of summer. They know warm temperatures mean cabin season is around the corner. Soon, children will splash in warm water. They will run through sprinklers placed in front yards. Perhaps, they may even chase down an ice cream truck. Parkas will be shed for shirtless days in a boat on a lake.
Yet, for me, I will miss the snow. Frozen water allows me to explore places I cannot reach in the summertime. Fresh snowfall reveals the busyness of the woods. Sometimes I am surprised by how much is taking place in my own backyard.
I will miss looking out into the woods on a cloudless night when the moon is full. The picture of light and shadows can make even the dullest mind want to write a poem. Then there is the morning frost on the trees. For some reason, I think the trees look like candy sticks. The rising sun turns the forest into a light show.
Eventually, my heart will give way to spring. As soon as I catch a whiff of damp soil, my focus will turn to search for the first curled fern to break the surface. The desire to see frost will be replaced by the yearning to watch this small fern open it leaves like a bird. For a time, our yard will be brown and dead as it transitions into color.
Flowering trees, green grass, tulips, and daffodils will help me forget the snow. As a matter of fact, soon, I will be wondering why I ever missed it in the first place. As I write, my mind is already making the transition.
I look forward to the children returning to our yard. We will watch fawns, turkey chicks, and kits will explore our yard under the watchful eyes of their mothers.
I will miss the snow. Thankfully, I have the heavens to tell me of the glory of God. The story the heavens tell is not one of submission. As though only those who kneel can participate in the glory. This narrative is more like a song. A ballad that tells all those who observe, the firmament proclaims the big picture. Every season gives way to something new. Every death is just the first step in the process of new life.
Click to read Psalm 19
Reflection Questions:
What season do you most miss when a new season approaches?
How do the changes of season shape your spirit?
When have you found an appreciation for something you do not like?
What story does creation tell you?