Tag Archives: winter

21

Gold

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All That Is Gold, Does Not Glitter

All-that-is-goldOne of my favorite stories of my youth was The Lord of the Ring trilogy by  J.Rs.R. Tolkien.  I loved the fantasy of it and yes I was a total geek about it throughout my life.  I had the occasion to read the poem All that is Gold did Not Glitter the other day, and I wondered why I liked it so much. It is the description of Aragorn and I feel it describes the way many of us think about our own journey. There is a hero inside of us, nobody can see, just waiting for the right moment to rise.  This article attempts to explain my attachment to this poem and the connections I make to my life.
 Here is the Poem in its entirety:
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
 From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king”

Below is my breakdown of the connection I see between this poem and life.

All that is gold does not glitter.

How many people have you met in your life where this is true?  I can think of many gold people, right off the top of my head. Individuals who lived their lives honestly and helping other people every time they had the chance.  Many helped me, and as a younger person, I was oblivious to the real gold that was located in their soul and was passed on to me. All of my grandparents were this way, and now they are

Gold does glitter, but so does great character!!

all gone, the lessons, the kindness, and the value of them has not diminished. It has grown. Their touch on my life and the lives of those that knew them was more valuable than gold.

As an older and hopefully wiser man, I try to remember and emulate those great individuals who have made living my life on the Earth a much more enjoyable experience. I only hope someday to be even a small influence of those lives I touch in a good way.  Those that glitter, or look for attention are not really out to help anyone but themselves. Look for the people who do good for good’s sake, not their own.

Not all those who wander are lost.

It is common to relate your own position in life to the position of others.  Most do it to gauge how they are doing in this game called life, others do it for comparison so that they can feel better about themselves and their decisions. It doesn’t matter where you are or even where you are going but the manner in which you are getting there. Honesty, courage, caring, understanding, acceptance, and love should all be a part of the journey. To ignore these things would be a lost journey indeed.  Judging someone else based on the outward appearance, or your own preconceived bias is wrong.

I think that understanding our own journey is totally unique to us and will bring you all of the joy, happiness, thrills, and valuable lessons that you can learn from and become better from.  Worry about your own wandering and accept that you can help others from time to time as well. Let others wonder on their journey, lost or not our journey is our own.

The old that is strong, does not wither.

Some certain truths and ideas may be old, but their value never diminishes. The power of love is one of these.  Attributes like honesty, faithfulness, fairness; integrity is all examples of positive qualities that show strength and never go out of style or wither away. We often look at the aging process as something to be avoided or a bad thing. It isn’t it is just a part of the journey. We are all born, we live and at some point we will die.  That is the way of it. As you get older and hopefully wiser, you gain a strength of character a younger man can’t have. Because you have faced the challenges life throws your way and you are still here.  You have won.

The more we steer our life’s course toward these positive factors, the stronger your experience will be.  Look at the people that you have known who you really admire.  What adjectives would you use to describe them? Our character is defined by the choices we have made. Right or wrong at the time does not matter now, all taught a lesson and it is how you use that knowledge that matters today.

Deep Roots are Not Reached By The Frost

I think that holding your values dear to you and sticking by them steadfastly, is what this line means.  The unavoidable changes in the world, like the weather, and what behavior is popular, is not going to affect a person who is really good.

The outside may be affected by the wear and tear of life, but the inside or the deep roots will never be touched by such temporary influences.

From the ashes, a fire shall be woken.

Everybody in the history of the world has had to face difficult times, it is a part of being human.  If you have never seen your life reduced to ashes, literally or proverbially then either you are very lucky, or you better have the number to your local fire department handy.

This is not to scare anybody, but to state, most people have been down.  That is not the part of the story that enthralls others, it is the rising from the ashes.  The rebirth of your life, that is better than you could ever imagine it could be.  The ability to rise from the destruction of everything you know, move forward and still thrive is the greatest of human stories.

A light from the shadow will spring.

It is at these moments when a person has been counted out, that they are primed for the greatest of victories. That light can be an idea, an act, or an event, but the greatest of these come from the places that are least expected.

Some of the greatest discoveries came from unexpected sources totally from left field.  Not because that what the only place they could come from, but because that is where destiny deemed they should come from.

 

Renewed Shall be the Sword that Was Broken

The sword can represent any part of your life that was shattered by the events you experienced in your time.  The renewal can be inside, outside, and most probably both.  A person can come back, love again and triumph again and enjoy all of the fruits of life that were once at their convenience.

The Crownless Again Shall Be King

All people, in all walks of life, have great ability inside them.  Even if they are not labeled as such, they are kings of what they possess.  Whatever talents they were born with, leadership, music, science, mathematics, or athletic prowess, these are the keys to your kingdom.  Please open your eyes and see what talent you have and pursue it.

The crown you wear will come from knowing that what you have been given by providence has been explored and exploited to its deepest and most complete capability.

All People Have Value

The key to happiness in these times for all people is to accept people for what they are, and what they possess inside.  Much like Strider in the Lord of the Rings, great power can be hidden by appearance, and underneath the surface, there may be a warrior, a poet, a scientist, or even a king simply waiting for the right time to show themselves.

My advice is to avoid judging someone from their appearances and looks deeper into what characteristics and the values they live by.  All people show you who they truly are through the values they represent day to day.

Come as you are, see the greatness within. 

21

Seasons

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Seasons-  each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth’s changing position concerning the sun.

It is a fortunate thing, to be experiencing the spring of the year! A wise person once said there is no way to stop the seasons from changing. That is true in nature, and it is true for your life as well, just like the planet rolls around each year, inevitably bringing an awakening, a vibrant life, and slowly a return to a darker cold slumber. So do our lives move as well. The sad part is that there are over 7 billion people globally, and a tiny fraction ever evaluates their existence in any thoughtful manner at all. The seasons provide us with a natural lesson on how to appreciate things.  Do you pay attention? Or are you caught in your own thoughts?  Look at the seasons of life, and you will appreciate the experience more.  This begins with really looking at the thoughts you entertain, the words you speak, and the actions in life you take because of all of these things.

Season of Eyes Shut

It seems like people live their lives and flow through the seasons with their eyes closed to the change that is coming to them. Each year the seasons move by and with them a lesson. Still, the young person is too involved in the physical world and what other people think of them to pay real attention to the knowledge the world offers—a chance to love, enjoy, and find experiences that color our lives.  Very rarely do young men and women remove their conscious thought from what they want to accomplish to imagine how it all fits into the big picture.

Worrying about your relationships, jobs, and living arrangements dominates thoughts. Life passes you by, and all you try to do is collect as many things as possible. The value of things is temporary, but the value of experience stands the test of time. Youth is wasted on the young, and the spring is wasted on selfish, individualistic behavior.  As you get older and time becomes shorter, you realize there is a reason for this, and you become envious of the time you had that is now gone. Unfortunately, others are frittering it away with their eyes tightly shut, looking at themselves and ignoring the world.

Enjoy the Seasons

It is common in the area I live to look ahead to spring during the winter.  It gets dark early, there are major snow events, and the temperature is frigid. But it provides a unique experience people in areas which are warm all year don’t get.  There are cold hard moments that come in winter. If you pay attention, they will wake you up to the soft, warm moments that will come as the calendar moves toward spring and summer. We all need to appreciate more warm, soft moments.  Winter creates this appreciation.

Spring brings hope and renewal, and summer brings vitality, fall brings sober acceptance of change, and then we are back to winter again. The seasons mimic the experience of our lives. As we age, we go through seasons, but most don’t notice these things are happening.  We are young in the spring, and our summers are spent doing, going, collecting, competing. Fall is the time you realize there is an end in sight, and winter is that end, like it or not. We all hope our winter is a long way away, but………………we never know.

Be in the Moment of the Season

There is nothing as inevitable as the passing of time, and the human experience is a finite thing. Our seasons are flying by, and all you have to ask yourself is, are you making the most of it, or are you wasting your time?  It really doesn’t matter what you do.  The human experience is a gift.  Think of the magic of experiencing a snowfall or a warm summer day with a cool breeze blowing.  Or the fall when the leaves are changing, and the crisp weather is a harbinger of things to come.  The wonderful hope of spring that revives us.

Please pay attention to your life and the people in it.  Spend your time and money accumulating experiences rather than things. Things are finite and provide joy for a short minute.  Experiences lead to growth and sharing and a life to be remembered.

So spend a little time in your day to be a little more conscious of the seasons occurring inevitably on your calendar and life. It all starts where you focus your thoughts and what you appreciate about life in every season—the words you use to express this appreciation to others and the actions which result. So look at your seasons and take a moment to enjoy them all.

“Nature gives to every time and season unique beauty; from morning to night, as  from the cradle to the grave, it’s just a succession of changes so soft and comfortable that we hardly notice the progress.” ~ Charles Dickens

Wherever in the world you may find yourself right now, we are about to enter a new season.

“The beat of drums and the blustering of summer fade away. Everything becomes quiet, more introspective, sad. Autumn always comes with such beauty.” ~ Jaak Drees

 

 

21

Winterrific

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Winter -the coldest season of the year

winterLiving in Maine my entire life, winter has been a major part of the experience. Every year there is the challenge the weather throws at you. It interrupts your schedule, makes you plan, forces you to endure, and causes you to grow. It develops a toughness inside of you because if you can survive this challenge so easily, other challenges will be just as easy to conquer.  Every year, like it or not, winter comes, the days get short, the weather gets cold, and the challenge begins to not only survive the season but to thrive in it.  Sometimes it is difficult not to complain about the cold temperatures and the storms. But complaining doesn’t change anything; each day is going to be what you make it.  Add the positive aspects of winter to your awareness today in your thoughts, words, and actions.  Winter is not an enemy; it is a proving ground followed by the renewal of spring.

Tough Winter

There is no denying winter wears on you after a few months of temperatures below freezing and impending storm after impending storm. All of us live through this together and understand silently the strength it takes to experience the storm, clean up after it and move on with life. It is a winterlesson that you can apply in other areas of your existence quite easily. Storms come and most often on short notice. They make your life more difficult, and when they eventually pass away. Leaving behind a pile of snow as a reminder that this did, in fact, happen, and you did experience it. You survived.

This is a toughness that is built up throughout your life.  Winter is different from the last and provides its own storms. No two are exactly alike. There are different temperatures and levels of precipitation.  The timing is different, and that determines how much your life is affected.  In my youth, there was nothing as beautiful as a storm day. The town I lived in had a fire horn that had a particular call that announced no school. It was a special joy to know that you could stay in bed and not have to go to school that day. That joy still lives in me.  Mentally, winter can be a strain for a while, and you are just waiting for it to end.  But experience teaches you, and you will survive and be a little bit stronger for the experience. You learn the challenge will end eventually and give way to something better and more enjoyable.

The Beauty of Winter

Winter is not all snowstorms and freezing temperatures. Many great things come with it and make the world a more interesting place winterto live. When it snows, without any wind at all. The world is never as peaceful.  There is a quiet there which doesn’t exist any other time of the year.  It is one of the most peaceful times that exists in the world. If you listen, then you can hear the voices of those you knew, and they are with you for an ever so brief moment.  The sad part is most people are moving too fast, either physically or in their minds, to pay attention.  Pay attention.

There is also the way the world looks on a sunny morning after a snow event. The trees are frosted with snow, and the landscape is changed to something different, wonderful, and new. Covered with a blanket of opportunity.   Like most precious things, this is not going to last. Snow melts, seasons change, just like our lives, it is just a temporary joy.  Most don’t pay attention to this either. There is a powerful and unique picture worthy of the greatest painting right in front of you. And they are busy looking at their phone.  Pay attention because spring is coming, and the winter will be gone.  Leaving behind it a world that is clean and new.

Hope is the Thing

Even as winter sets in during the holiday months of November and December, there is hope that builds. The days will get longer. The temperatures will rise. The easy days of summer will come.  All of the benefits of those easier seasons, warmth, easy travel, sunny beaches, long days. All of these things derive more of their meaning and joy from the contrast that winter provides them.

Just like the challenges faced in life provide success with its sweetness, winter makes the other seasons more savory.  How many times have I felt like a 40-degree day in March was downright tropical?  Put the windows down in the car and felt the sunshine on my face like an old friend coming back to visit.  If you are a veteran of winter, every year, this happens.  The remainder of hope for spring, summer, and fall. The reminder of hope for your life and your dreams.  All things seem possible once you survive your winter.  That is because if you thrive in difficult times, all other times are easy.  Enjoy them all.

Our Strength of Winter

There is a strength inside of us all.  Some will never use it because their consciousness has a focus on other things.  But if you focus on the challenges that face you and take responsibility for managing them, that strength will reveal itself.  Some people hide at home during a snowstorm. Others ski down a slope and revel in the opportunity.  It is all a matter of perspective and what you allow yourself to accept from the winter experience.

You can let it control you, your attitude, and your life. Or you can control the way you react to it. That is a strength that is transferred into other areas of life.  There is a strength in all of us that needs a push to rise to the surface. Winter can be that push.  So be conscious of the wonder and power of winter. In your thoughts, words, and actions today.  Look at the beauty of the snow on the trees. Enjoy the unique silence of a snowfall.  Make a snow angel—ski your slopes.  Winter is the coldest season, but hope for the warmth that will inevitably follow in the spring will rise.

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.  And that makes me happy. For it says no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger—something better, pushing right back.” ~Albert Camus

 “As call it winter, which being full of care,  Makes summer’s welcome, thrice more  wished, more rare.”  ~ William Shakespeare