Dark Times – How to stay inspired

Facing dark times or the shadows within can be fearsome. The grey of winter is a stark reminder of these fears.

Dark Times of Winter

For some reason, the winter greys have been the subject of many conversations this season. It’s common to experience much of this season (and even stretching into autumn and spring) as grey where I live. Ithaca, New York, and the whole Finger Lakes region are known for the grey days.

Still, even with this reputation this year seems to have been more stark than usual. I have certainly experienced and have heard the same sense from many interactions with friends and strangers about town.

Even Grey Clouds Are Beautiful

For years, I’ve been fascinated by clouds. They seem to hold mystical wonders and heavenly awe. Besides painting poetic pictures, clouds symbolize a variety of ethereal forms.

So, even Winter’s clouds carry inspiration. Whatever we humans see in the clouds, those images are bound to be reflections of what is in us or stories that are still being created.

Don’t Be Afraid of Monotone

As I noted, my home region is known for its monotonous winters. And, don’t get me wrong, I love the interconnections of varied colors and sounds. After all, in music these are usually called harmony.

Ironically, many choirs have more difficulty creating unison — or singing the same note or the same pitch within their respective ranges — than harmony. If only for this reason, I’ve often been thrilled to be part of the “monotone” of unison singing.

How monotonous the sounds of the forest would be if the #music came only from the Top Ten birds. ~ Dan Bennet pic.twitter.com/dqlhf7uekE

— Stan Stewart (@muz4now) November 27, 2018

Dark Times Light

Seasons change. I missed the perceptual nature of this change when I lived in places that were temperate much of the year. The journey through the seasons gives human beings a gauge for the passage of the year. I crave the sense of this passage.

Perhaps this is part of the reason that I see winter as a time for trekking. Whether cutting trails in fresh snow or following the tracks of my neighbors, these seasonal walks are sources of bold inspiration.

What inspires you when life or the weather get you down? Please leave a comment here or contact me however you normally do.