Saturday, December 31, 2011

Let the Wind of Change Blow

The wind blew like crazy last night. Our windows rattled, screens shook, and sounded ominous. The lights flickered and interrupted our reading for a moment. I looked at my wife and assured her we had a working flashlight nearby. Then I thought of the new generator I got for Christmas. Would we have to use it so soon? I hadn't even unboxed it yet


Well, fortunately it didn’t come down to dealing with an emergency. Though the winds continued to howl and whine, we soon fell asleep and missed the rest of the winds assault on the Salt Lake Valley.


The morning, though cold, brought sunshine and blue skies. It was absolutely gorgeous. Quite a contrast from the weeks before. Salt Lake Valley often sports an inversion in the winter. It’s a murky layer of not so pleasant smog... best not breathed in large doses. We’re told to cut down on our driving and to stay indoors if possible. For some the smog can actually be on the deadly side. But today was bright, clear, and beautiful... what a relief. 


As I thought about the needed change in this new day, I remembered the wind from the night before. What seemed threatening the night before actually cleared the smog from the valley. The murky atmosphere that tended to affect our moods and trap numerous particles in the air was gone... blown away by the wind. 


So it is with winds of change. We all experience a certain murkiness in life. This murkiness can affect our moods and attitudes. If it gets thick enough it also affects how far we can see. Sometimes it can be filled with things that are dangerous to us... impeding our essential progress in life. That's when the storms of life or the winds of change actually do us a favor. With life's murkiness blown away, we can see clearly again and feel hope and excitement. Life is once again gorgeous and beautiful.

So here we are, the end of yet another year... the turning of another page in our lives. Have you experienced any murkiness in 2011? Has it been hard to “see” clearly? Are you ending the year with a discouraging mood or attitude? If so, maybe 2012 can provide a needed wind of change and blow away life’s murky smog. I have a feeling though that whether the wind blows is up to you and me. So this New Year, let the winds blow.

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