FEBRUARY 2007 -- As I write this the first week of January, we have had no snow, only a few flurries. I like snow and for me this is very disappointing. I think it is a beautiful scene to watch the snow falling and turning the landscape a beautiful white. If you wake up in the morning and look out the window and see the snow in the fields as a white blanket, with nothing spoiling the smoothness of the ground. For me, truly beautiful.
Of course, for those of you that do not like snow, this is a great winter. There seems to be more sickness coming these days. It used to be said that the cold and snow kill the germs. I don’t know if that is true or not. I do know that having some days warm and some cold does not make for healthy conditions.
I trust that everyone had a fantastic Christmas holiday. I have said many times that this is the time to welcome Jesus into our own private or public world once again. Then a couple of weeks ago I went past a church sign that said: “There has been only one Christmas—all the rest have been anniversaries.” You know, that is right. We are celebrating the anniversary of the coming of Jesus.
This is the month for presidents and lovers. We have all heard of random acts of kindness. That is something great. This is a great month to practice these random, or perhaps not so random, acts of kindness. This is a great time to tell someone how much they mean to you. This could be members of your family or friends or co-workers. It could even be your paper carrier. It could be someone at Grange that has helped you. That special person that has taken you under their wing and guided you in ways that only you know. Surprise them with a thank you.
If the cold and snow keep us housebound, perhaps that will be the time to read our ritual and see how it speaks to us today. It may have been some time since you have done this and you just might be amazed and the things the ritual has to say. I know I am surprised every time I read it. This is also a good time to do some letter writing. I know, this is old-fashioned, but this how I am. It does the heart and soul good to think someone thought enough to write a note. Just hold it in your hands and think of the love that is there. E-mails are great for communicating fast, but it does nothing for the heart and soul.
