There was an ice storm last night, and the roads are covered in ice. I was worried for my husband this morning as he attempted to drive on such slick roads. All went well. He was slow and careful. I, luckily, did not have to brave the roads today as I had lots of work to do from home. As I walked from room to room gathering things to sit down and work, I passed a window looking out over the woods. Earlier, as I prepared for breakfast and work, I did not have time to really see how things looked--outside of the icy roads and sidewalks. And then, I noticed the view of ice-covered nature. The cloudy light sometimes flickered off of an icy branch or grass blade. Every tree seemed outlined in crystal. It sometimes appeared to be a white outline over the brown and gray colors of winter. It was beautiful. Some of the young trees were bent over from the weight of the ice, bowing to the force of water in its frozen form. In the distance, the crystals faded into a white blur beyond the forefront of white outlines. I stared at the view for a few moments and remembered how beautiful things can be even when they can be treacherous or dangerous. The tender branches bend to the weight, seemingly waiting for the moment when the ice melts and they can reach back up to the sky. All is well. Nature is beautiful, patient, and yielding.
© 2011 Michelle A. Potter
