I like to list thanks at New Years!

Bird Songs in Winter (one of the things I’m thankful for this year!)
Birds always indicate things to me. I’m always listening and watched them to sense the atmosphere. I notice them daily and nightly-always have. As they dwell between sky and earth, hovering on limbs; and each of their longing songs become more apparent in the long context of the Silence of Winter!

Saw two hawks today, and heard our owls-a mother and three- in the backyard talking and practicing, last night. They, in the long rehearsal, as we all are.

I notice creatures even more in Winter, as you can hear, distinguish, and appreciate each singular song in the context of Silence, each thing becomes distinctly its own.

I love that about Winter—it aids listening well. Silence contextualizes everything, even us in still being, in still frames, snap shots of the overall songs we are.

Each Winter and New Year is a collective pause to be, and appreciate each creature and person’s unique song-our I in We.

Thanks Winter, you teach in your cold austere silent way, like an old monk, how to pray, and to love things even more each day, knowing that later, when in full obvious bloom song, among the cacophony of becoming that Spring is, we will more easily share ourselves and fall in love again!

When things are grey, each color becomes more important and specific, and somehow needed!

We can thank things, individually with specific gratitude. That, at least, is, one of the gifts of Winter. Thankful today for that particular Silence which winter reflects and holds for us all.