daffodils
Winter has its perks. Periodic snowfall transforms the ordinary into the remarkable, smoothing the landscape, covering it in a thick silvery powder that both purifies and brings order to the land. The outdoors are more hospitable in the absence of biting insects, while the cold temperatures create a natural appetite for hot, homemade foods like soups and stews. Local bourbons warm the soul. But winter in North Carolina is not all snowflakes and season’s greetings.
As the frigid temperatures take root, winter takes its toll. Early in the season, I felt motivated to go outside and brave the weather; to test myself against nature. But the constant, bitter cold and stinging winds have a way of wearing down sharp edges.
Darkness dominates the season. When I awake, the sun is still sleeping. When I finish my work, it has already disappeared below the horizon. Stepping outside the house, whether going for a run or running to the store, requires a headlamp or headlights. This absence of light softens the will.
The forest becomes still, and nature appears frozen in time. There is no growth, no movement; nothing looks alive. The colorless woods feel abandoned, and some ancient instinct bids me to move on, but this is my home. There is no escape from the cold and the dark.
The last weeks of winter feel anxious and depressing. But we are humans, so we endure. And then, one cold day, I encountered something unexpected. Walking through the woods, in the open patch of wild grasses where the pine grove meets the old forest, dull points of sleek shoots, the color of jade, pushed upward past the dead leaves and decaying pine needles.
These were the smooth stalks of wild daffodils, the very first mark of the new season, a promise of the light and warmth to come. Spring was here.
The daffodils are now in full bloom. Their yellow petals and extended crowns call out to passersby. And you will look at them and admire their beauty. But to me, the flowers, though bright, are less enchanting than the simple stems that offer hope.