Wintering

I am wintering naturally. That is why the seasonal celebration seems to go against the grain. Winter is the time for burrowing, for turning within. Winter has no concern for fall or spring; it is itself.

There is talk of a strong El Nino current this year. I believe it. The planet is roiling in moisture: after the upheaval of war come the tears. Mother Earth will be weeping.

Leonard Cohen is the prophet for our times; he has seen all of this coming and spoken of it to us in song and verse. The heart listens in deep obeisance in order to heal itself.

The hallelujah that he speaks of is a long deserved song and a well-earned one. It is not for softies or for the hard-hearted. It is given as we see how wrong-headed we are, how undeserving of grace.

If you believe you are spiritual, you are simply off the mark. If you are wicked, you are still off the mark.

There is no solution but grace and you will know it when it comes. It is not for those who are either naughty or nice. It is for those who are wiped out by it and are now the nameless one.

Vicki Woodyard