“A man,” said he, “must have a very good opinion of himself when he asks people to leave their own fireside, and encounter such a day as this, for the sake of coming to see him. He must think himself a most agreeable fellow; I could not do such a thing. It is the greatest absurdity–Actually snowing at this moment!–The folly of not allowing people to be comfortable at home–and the folly of people’s not staying comfortably at home when they can!” ~ Jane Austen
Such a sentiment strikes me as especially true during our current cold spell (as well as during a pandemic), which has seen a succession of bitter days best addressed while in the warm comfort of a robe and a pair of thick woolen socks, sipping a cup of hot tea by the fire. Ideally, a good book would be within arm’s reach, and some sort of soothing music would be playing softly in the background. A view of the outside world might then juxtapose itself against this cozy scene, making the notion all the more precious. If there are several houseplants safely ensconced on the inside of the window ledge, so much the better ~ their verdant clumps thrillingly saturated before a wintry backdrop.
Outside there are more subtle delights, in the delicate green of a juniper cradling a patch of freshly-fallen snow. If one must be drawn out to shovel or clear a path, this little spot of green is evidence of survival, of the hope that spring will come again. It’s worth a closer examination, a moment of mindfulness. No matter how quickly and cruelly the wind whips around us, it’s the stoic heart and the mindful head that manages to retain a centering warmth.
