Today, I finally felt like spring was nearly here. I know we have another month left, and green foliage has not yet completely invaded our landscape, or even crept into view beyond our evergreens, but I could feel it coming on. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was warm.
In the northwest, we rarely get a real winter. It rains through most of the winter months and everything stays green for the most part, but this year, we were lucky enough to experience a white winter, if only for a few weeks. The drawing I've done was inspired by the biggest pine tree located near my house. It's black and white. You could say that besides having the appearance of winter, it is representing winter. People who live in this season see only in black and white. There is a symbolic "noir" type of theme, as Answer.com defines as "tough, cynical, and bleak." Winter is dark. One quarter of the year may be black and white and non-negotiable, like certain issues of doctrine and morals, yet there are three other seasons full of color and diversity! There is always a new way to experience creativity, friends, jobs, and life in general. Things cannot be black and white. Sometimes, color beyond the grey areas must be embraced.
Winter is a blanketed season, and whether by clouds, snow, or ice, detail is covered by winter and color is left by the wayside. In that, Spring and Winter fear each other for what they are. Winter's walls are melted by the coming of spring, yet the power of Winter closes in on Spring, giving it no room to breath or create.
Even so, a year is made up of four seasons, and it takes all types of people to bring growth and renewal to the world. With the coming of a new time comes a promise of new thoughts and a new light.
Now, I implore you, brace the Spring time, remember the Winter, but give people room to breath in what may be held lightly.
