Aging with Grace

To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.

Aristotle

Winter, as often happens, didn’t wait for the calendar to make its arrival official. Earlier this week we awoke to a landscape of icy white. Heavy coats, boots, warm gloves and wooly hats were pulled out of closets and drawers. Leaving the warmth of the house was not something to take lightly. There would be no quick dashes to the mailbox or to take out the trash without adequate apparel. Like it or not winter had arrived.

To take a positive view of the change in weather, the snowy landscape is often spectacular. My preference is to view it from the warmth of our living room or see it through the car window. Aristotle’s snowflakes quickly turn into ice and muddy slush. Of course, he is right. We sometimes have to be willing to sacrifice our comfort to experience what should not be missed.

Only we can decide if the discomfort is worth the reward. As we become older we become more selective regarding how much we are willing to tolerate. Life experience has taught us to be weary of putting ourselves out there. Too often the reward is not worth the effort it takes to achieve. We have become jaded.

Cynicism has to be moderated with optimism. It’s too easy to fall down the rabbit hole of negativity. Sometimes the prize is worth the effort. We can still be surprised.