Icy resilience

 

On my walk after a recent cold snap, I got down close to the earth (well, close to the stream) to marvel at the formations. In many instances, green grass shoots appeared in the midst of frosty patterns. Green!  And I always associated winter green with pine trees and the like.

I captured dozens of images of feathery bits, each more lovely than the last.

My cheeks and nose protested in the wind but it was all good.

I felt both envy and respect for the grasses that appeared just fine, embedded in the ice. Why could I not be that strong? I concluded that the human brain is often just as much a hindrance as a miracle. It is my PTSD wiring that keeps me from living fully. From thriving in 'ice.' From just being.

In the end, I fell back on my gratitude list, the first being that I have the capacity to enjoy what I encounter in Nature. I am also lucky to have a working camera that can capture these images which I can then view in the comfort of my own home, without being encumbered by 5 layers of jackets. 

-GG