Lessons from the Trees in Winter

The older I get, the more I appreciate the season of winter. Since I am retired, I can meet winter on my own terms. I do not have to venture outside in the bitter, bone-chilling cold nor drive on icy roads. I can sit inside my warm house and enjoy the peace and quiet of a white landscape. Outside my window. on this particular day, it is the trees that catch my attention. The trees stand in defiance to the weather. They stand as faithful sentinels and remind me to find beauty in the essentials of life.

The deciduous trees do not need the embellishments of buds, flowers, leaves or fruits to be beautiful. They are amazing works of the Creator. Only in winter can we truly appreciate the intricate design of their branches. We can see in clear relief the nests of birds and squirrels who call these trees home. Unashamed, they show their nakedness, their essence to the world. They are at rest and it is good.

The evergreen trees keep their needles all year long. They, too, tell us something of the Creator. They are signs of faithfulness. The green that signifies life is never extinguished from our sight, even in the harshest conditions of winter. Life is eternal.

In this season of winter, what lessons do the trees outside your windows teach you ?