Winter Series: Part 3

What can snow teach us?

Snow is the best part of winter. I love the snow. It’s my favorite. I could probably give you a list of my top five reasons I love it. But for those that are not so enamored I will spare you and instead continue with my winter observations brought to you by snow.

While out walking the other day I came upon different ground beneath me that forced me to pay attention. There had been a recent snowfall over snow that had already settled. Some of the path I walked on had obviously not been cleared from any of the snowfalls, some of the path had been previously cleared partially but not salted, turning it icy underneath the new snow and some of it had been cleared after the previous and most recent snow. I realized that these varying paths had something to learn from them.

The parts of the path that had not been cleared were more difficult to walk through. For those who are more familiar with the warm climates that have sand, this is a similar feel. Walking through the untouched snow is unlevel and therefore more laborious. It required me to go slower and use more energy. There are parts of our journeys in life that are like this as well. The parts that were unexpected or unfamiliar, or the parts that we have recognized as difficult and therefore have not addressed. We are trudging through, having to take it slow. There is nothing wrong with having to slow down and take our time. Where it gets tricky, however, is when there is a recurring spot of challenge that we are able to “clear” out and address but we are choosing not to. Sometimes we give up because the trudging is too hard and exhausting. What I know though is that the only way to get through the hard is to move through it. No amount of ignoring, wishing away or denying will get us to the other side. So why not do what I did through the snow and take one step at a time?

The partially cleared but not salted snow, turned ice, was actually more treacherous. Given a very short amount of time, snow can slightly melt and promptly turn into ice. While the new snowfall on top of it made it look pretty, it made me slip and almost fall a few times. Just like the untouched snow, in order to move forward in life we have to address what’s underneath the surface (even when it looks good to everyone else) and clear out those things causing us to be tripped up. When things are only partially cleared away and then ignored, we get the kind of surprise we don’t want, like almost falling down. 

The fully cleared path of snow was the easiest and most enjoyable to move through because I wasn’t having to pay attention staring at my feet but looking at the beauty around me. On these parts of the path the person(s) clearing it had to be intentional about going out each time it had snowed to make sure the snow proceeding didn’t accumulate, making it more difficult. Even on the day(s) they didn’t feel like addressing it they did. By being intentional to address challenges each time they arise, we can avoid having to address the layers that can otherwise build up, and move forward.

If you are interested in learning how to be gentle with yourself, moving forward by intentionally removing what doesn’t belong, I would love to help! Schedule your free consult with me today: https://calendly.com/katiepat48-1/30min