Torch River Reflections…

Spruce and pine boughs are laden heavily with wet snow. Tiny birds are flitting among the branches, their feathers puffed up to protect them from the frosty air. Robins, newly returned for nesting, are searching for food. Their plump red breasts are a stark contrast against the white powdery snow. Canadian geese can be seen swimming in small circles of water where the ice threatens to close in on them. Tiny buds where leaves were about to burst forth are now encased in ice. There are power outages, due to lines down in the storm. Baby calves are being born in sheltered spots along the tree lines, anxious mothers providing them with warm milk. Ranchers work hard to provide care for shivering babies. You might say this is a bleak picture for April 18th. But this is reality in northeast Saskatchewan, Canada today! We will get through this. Wintery storms in April are not uncommon this far north. Spring will come. The best things in life take time.

I love this saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”

Here is your sign to slow down. Here is your sign to be present. Take a deep breath. Look into the eyes of someone you love right now. Take take note of the softness there. The variety of colours. The depth. Listen to the sound of your child’s laughter. Feel their smooth skin. Just for a moment, forget all the things on your to-do list, and breathe. Remember the fact that each breath is a gift. Remember that this moment is a gift. Remember that it is okay to slow down, and to rest. Sometimes, especially during storms, it is essential.

Think of nature. The birds are still singing in the snow. Right now, they are enduring a storm, but they innately know that it will pass. Maybe you are facing a storm as well. Maybe it has been going on for what feels like a long time. Winter wants to hang on. Maybe you are experiencing a gut wrenching loss. Maybe you feel alone. Maybe you just feel stuck in the same old patterns, and want something new. Here is your sign to try something different. Reach out to someone who cares. Reach out to someone who needs a listening ear and may be struggling as well. Practice gratitude. Write down three things you are grateful for, or say them aloud. Bask in the feeling that comes with saying those words aloud. Remember, you are not alone. Reach out. This storm will pass. There is hope. There are warm sunny days ahead. If you don’t believe that right now, find someone to talk to who believes it. You are loved.

Here is a quote from Heidi Dellaire that may bring you hope when the storms get long:

“I stopped waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel and lit the light within myself.”

You have so much light and love to give. Maybe winter season has lasted so long that you have forgotten how warm and comforting the sunshine feels. Maybe you have been so busy searching for the light, that you forgot that it is right there inside of you. I promise you, it’s there. It may be dim. It may need a little extra care to get it shining to its full potential again, but it is there. Dare to hope. Spring will come. I promise.