Winter Shall Pass
The winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land (Song of Solomon 2:11-12) Every year it happens. Winter comes and seems to drag on forever. The sun makes only brief appearances before disappearing behind thick layers of gray. Dreary day follows dreary day until our spirits are as leaden as the winter sky. Moisture is scarce and everything becomes dry and brittle. When it does come, it is usually frozen or bone chilling. Sometimes we experience wintertime in our hearts. Things seem bleak and we are inclined to withdraw and hibernate. Joy and enthusiasm are as elusive as the winter sun as we trudge through the grind of daily living. Just as winter birds do not sing, there is little music in our hearts. We feel tense and quarrelsome. Temperaments grow testy; conversations terse....