Standing Still

On a day when color blended into swirls of grey and white, I stood still and the earth stood still with me. On occasion a blood red cardinal rested on a branch as the northern wind whispered softly through barren woods. The air was damp with sorrow and I reflected the earth’s mood mirroring southern trees bent under the weight of fresh snow. I heard the creek waters slow and languidly dance in new rhythms before stilling in the hush of a darkening sky.

Another gentle gust of air pushed the clouds away from the sun. The landscape sparkled under the winter rays and freshly lit crystals rose with unabashed glory. Icy fingers lingered mid-air creating rare moments in frozen time.

I wondered if my life shone each day with icy glitter or soft as fairy dust sprinkled on the air. Am I found in the soft snow drifts that look solid and firm but fall apart with the slightest touch of a broken twig? Perhaps, I am heard in the harsh sounds of ice laden branches falling off strong trees and shattering into myriad pieces upon landing.

I don’t know what colors others see. Nor do I know what they hear when I speak. Do they remember me during the seasons of time? Perhaps they have already passed me by in search of that which they don’t know -rushing onward with fast steps and faster words always racing without pause. These are all things I don’t know.

And yet, this is what I do know. In the eyes of those who love me, I sparkle as a polished gem and shine like the northern star shimmering above a winter wonderland. They look beyond the cold and through the shadows. Their love burns into the clouds and illuminates my heart. They see what others miss. They listen and hear me in the quiet. They search and patiently uncover my secrets. They know me and still love me. All because they stood still long enough and I stood still with them.