A Winter Reflection
On cold winter mornings I find myself drawing my reliable sweater closer around my neck, lingering longer over my coffee, and spending a little more time staring out the window. Every time I reach for a favorite scarf to ward off the touch of winter I am reminded to take care, slow down, and look within. As the light comes slowly during these months, we are invited to open the day softly before turning to the press of a busy life.
Two weeks into the new year my intentions are standing strong. I have a clear desk and organized files, and a self-care routine, so far, unbroken. Yet, on cold winter mornings a single question imposes itself on my thoughts – What can I learn from the stillness of winter? How does the filtered light of this season touch my life purpose?
The poem, Winter Morning, by James Crews, offers us a clue of where to look. The poet draws us into his cold winter morning allowing us to almost smell the coffee brewing. No sooner have we gotten comfortable, but we are faced with the pronouncement, “I’ve been fooled again by the selfish, unruly man who lives in me and believes he deserves only safety and comfort.” Faced with watching his neighbors going out into the frozen day he is struck by empathy. Standing at the window looking outward and reflecting inward he can access gratitude, “then I can remember that this life is a gift each of us was handed and told to open: Untie the bow and tear off the paper, look inside and be grateful for whatever you find.” Gratitude lights the way to understanding the moment and perhaps, the underlying purpose.
So, I offer you James Crews poem on this cold winter day along with the question, what can I learn from the stillness of winter?
Winter Morning
BY James Crews
When I can no longer say thank you
for this new day and the waking into it,
for the cold scrape of the kitchen chair
and the ticking of the space heater glowing
orange as it warms the floor near my feet,
I know it’s because I’ve been fooled again
by the selfish, unruly man who lives in me
and believes he deserves only safety
and comfort. But if I pause as I do now,
and watch the streetlights outside flashing
off one by one like old men blinking their
cloudy eyes, if I listen to my tired neighbors
slamming car doors hard against the morning
and see the steaming coffee in their mugs
kissing chapped lips as they sip and
exhale each of their worries white into
the icy air around their faces – then I can
remember this one life is a gift each of us
was handed and told to open: Untie the bow
and tear off the paper, look inside
and be grateful for whatever you find
even if it is only the scent of a tangerine
that lingers on the fingers long after
you’ve finished peeling it.
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about anna & executive horizons
Anna Alvarez Boyd, is the founder of Executive Horizons LLC, a consulting and leadership coaching business. Anna brings over 30 years of experience as a trusted senior leader to her clients. Her coaching starts with the belief that every individual is talented, creative and whole. She supports clients to deeper self-discovery, through a unique, tailored approach for each person that includes skill building, reflective practices and leadership development.