Hibernation AND Color?

Winter brings reduced daylight and temperature, and thus is a natural time for hibernation. I often welcome this hibernation. (Well, I've learned to make peace with the winter, and healthful hibernation is part of this peace.) It's a time when I sleep more, make fewer plans, eat hearty soups & bread, travel less, and generally try to slow down. These are all lovely things. Yet it's also possible (likely?) for healthful hibernation to turn into a general feeling of "blah."

This week in photography class we worked on light, color, pattern, & texture. In particular, I thought much about color--not just in photography, but in my life. When healthful hibernation turns into ugh (perhaps because of lack of light and too much pattern), then we can look for color & texture. These are the things that not only make photos pop, but they make our lives pop. They give us a little skip in our step during a dreary January day.

What I speak of is a balance (as is most of life). A balance between {hibernation, slowing down, & nurture} and {color, celebration, & creation}. So my new peace with winter includes not only embracing hibernation, but also purposefully looking for and creating rich color & texture around that hibernation: sleeping & dancing, cooking & eating out (even on a week night!), moping & taking a long walk, self-reflection & connection with others, slowing down & enjoying myself. We'll see how the journey proceeds. (Check back with me at the end of February. :))