Snow Day!

We’re here on the sandbar at Sebago Lake State Park, at the mouth of the Songo River. In the fall, salmon spawn in these lake outlets or inlets. They bury their eggs in gravel approximately a foot deep which will hatch in the spring. At the moment, the adults have left this nursery habitat and are now feasting in these deep waters of Sebago. Fishermen who frequent these waters enjoy the catch of the day.

There is a quiet reserve about the world in the winter months, as animals and people retreat. It becomes such a simple palette, frenzy-free from the summer schedule. We respond in kind by withdrawing inside, tucked away from the dark, cold which permeates the outdoors.

We build romantic fires and favor comfort foods. And just as animals crawl into snow caves, we also hunker down for deep sleep and catnaps. When we surrender to nature’s timeline, we permit ourselves to slow down. In parallel, our warm hearth and home beckon gatherings, filling our world with blessings of friendships.

We can learn a lot from the natural rhythms of the earth. To know when to surrender gracefully brings peace in darkness. So feed your soul, and detach from your frantic calendar of events because overscheduling does not afford us the opportunity to ponder and probe our innermost being. We live in a society saturated with organized opportunities. Good intentions aside, research on the epidemic of overscheduling cautions us on the inevitable boredom and burnout looming on the horizon. I am not one to overschedule. I safeguard my calendar. I am incredibly discerning on how I spend my time. If it does not add value to my life, it is just not going to happen.

Snow days fill me up when I am running on empty with no chance of respite. So take a snow day. Permit yourself to indulge. Take a day to unplug and reprogram. Trust me, you won’t miss anything, and no one will steal your honey-do-list. Ignore the chores, sign out of your work networks and social networks, and turn off your phone. Oh, you won’t die, I promise. Do not let the fear of missing out sabotage your mission. Do what brings you joy. Make your playlist and dance in the kitchen. Relax, take a nap, take a bath, daydream, watch a movie, play a game, take another nap, read a book, write a story, write a song. Take a sunset walk on pink snow. Oh, how I love walking on pink cotton candy snow. It is magical. Let your snow day linger in laziness.

By my reckoning, we should all prepare in advance for the big snow day. Plan your comfort food, pay your bills, do your chores, check off your non-negotiables well in advance so you can then let go without guilt. Let’s face it; we are a society that values a strong work ethic. We inherently evaluate ourselves based on these quantitative and qualitative measures. This tenacity runs deep in the County and in many other cultures as well. Work-focus can be good, but it’s not your soul mark in this world.

My life’s lesson:
What snow days have taught me, is that slowing down allows me to prioritize and sow seeds of my soul’s desire.

So I challenge you to plan and prepare for your upcoming snow day. What does that look like for you? What’s blocking you from embracing a snow day and how can you remove that barrier? Take the plunge and take a snow day! I am entirely confident you will pocket the peacefulness you procured, and it will persist for weeks. And if I am wrong, I’ll regale you with coffee and conversation. And if I’m right, I would still relish coffee and conversation with you.
So my friends, take heed, I feel a snow day coming on!

May your week be filled with joy!