February and March are my least favorite weather months of the year.  They are at the tail end of winter and they are gray (such a BLAH color).  They taunt us with a few days of sun and warmth but then take us back down into the valley of cold and darkness.  Life can feel like a never-ending cycle of winter; dark days that never seem to end.  We get buried under feelings of defeat and hopelessness trapped in our own darkness.  Unfortunately, this despair, just like winter months, can lead to isolation.
I listen to a lot of “talks”.  During one talk the speaker was discussing the mystery of suffering.  We were asked to imagine that we were on a vacation.  The goal of our vacation was to escape the monotony of our everyday lives and enjoy some sun and fun at the beach.  Unfortunately, the weather forecast was gloomy and disappointment set in.  Every day we went to bed hoping for sun the following day.  It never came.  Nevertheless we would prepare for the sunshine, apply our sunblock, and head to the beach with hope in our hearts.  The speaker urged us to “never stop going the beach,” regardless of the forecast.
Hope and perseverance are two saving graces that carry me through the wilderness of winter.  The mind is a powerful tool and it is my choice as to whether I use it to escape the winter or allow it to keep me trapped in a valley.  My husband always says that your perspective is your reality.  March can be cold and gray, but it also offers hope that spring is on the horizon.  The birds chirp before the sun comes up.  The trees start to bud with signs of renewed life.  And flowers begin to break through the soil.  Hope and perseverance won’t let us down.  The lessons can be hard and exhausting, but they produce strength and new life.  Light ALWAYS cancels out darkness.
I mentioned that my tools against beating despair are a perspective of hope and perseverance, but I also have practical weapons that I use in the battle.  My sister-in-law sent me a book a while back, it was titled “Girl, wash your face.”  I have not started it yet, but I can imagine what it is about.  My “girl, wash your face” is “Lauren, get in the dang shower and take on the day!”  I wake up early to spend some time in prayer and gratitude.  I enjoy a cup of hot coffee and I kick myself out of the isolation of my home.  I do things that I know will snap me out of my funk, at least for a moment.  I’m not batting 1000 with my effort and my tools don’t always work, but such is life and I won’t stop trying.
Winter wilderness can be lonely so we can’t let it consume us.  Take back the power and keep your eyes on spring!  We have to wait, not in anxiety, but in joyful hope.

“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring will come again.”

– Sarah Ban Breathnach