Winter can be brutally cold. But there is something about how miserable and difficult it can be that tests our stamina and makes us stronger. I see it, in a sense, as a time of renewal, which although typically associated with springtime I think can happen during winter as well. As we trudge through the snow and sail through the wind blowing in our faces we persevere and await the much appreciated warmth that comes along with the indoors. As we look around us at the seemingly dead trees we look forward to spring and the rebirth that it brings. As we think about the animals that somehow manage to survive outside in the cold we think of how brave and strong they must be. As we think about people who have to stay outside in the cold because they have no place to take shelter we get sad and are grateful for how lucky we are to be indoors under our blankets. The wait for spring and rebirth is a long wait, and as we wait, we renew.