Ed’s Corner

This is the time of year where we have the shortest daylight. It’s gray. It’s rainy. There’s not enough snow yet to make it feel brighter, prettier, seasonal. Some people experience a condition called SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder – in the winter months, due to a lack of light. Special lamps are sold for people to sit under each day, which mimic the sun’s light. Reports lead me to believe they work!

This year, there are other reasons to be sad besides SAD. The news provides us with plenty of fodder to feel down, full of angst, stressed out, wondering what might be the truth…

But have hope! There is truth and tranquility to be be found when you are out in nature. And wherever you are, nature is not very far from you. Natural winter delights and verities are all around us:

* A beautiful snowstorm that transforms the sharp corners of the world
* If you tap trees, it’s time to get ready for maple sugaring
* By mid-January, you will feel – some days – a warmth in the air. The quality of the daylight will begin to feel different
* The sun rises in the morning and sets at night. This seems trivial but did you ever think about how it happens each and every day, without fail, and we can depend on it?
* How wonderful a fire feels and smells on a cold day

You can find your own truths out of doors. Forget the news for a while. It’s time for a nature break.