My snowdrops were peeking through yesterday when I walked the dog. Overhead, a red cardinal sang his love song, letting all competitors know this was his territory. Spring is definitely coming even though the lake is trapped under rotten gray ice and the cold wind seems to counteract any promised warmth from the sun. But it’s coming. The firt small signs are there.
Those cheeky little flowers are the first to appear every spring. I look for them every year as the snow begins to melt. They show up faithfully like old friends that call just to say hello.
They made me think about other ‘snow drops’ that show up when my faith in something better needs a little boost. Those tiny signs and miracles remind me that dreariness doesn’t last and seasons do change. Call them an optimism vitamin, if you’d like.
I heard a speaker once say that faith and belief are opposites which makes sense to me. Faith co-exists with doubt to carry us through. When we know something is true or it has been accomplished, then we don’t really need faith anymore. But sometimes, faith can use a little reinforcement, such as my snowdrops while the snow is still deep over the tulips.
If winter is overlong in your part of the world – or you have a ‘winter condition’ in your life, keep an eye out for snow drops. Then visit them as often as you need to. Shift your attention to those tiny bits of optimism and feel the promise of change.
Then, when you find your snowdrops, be sure to say thank you. Gratitude is the ultimate antidote to any gray day.
