Becoming a Light Hibernator in Winter

I'm reading a fun book with my daughter that draws spiritual lessons from the animals. It's an old book called Listen to the Animals: Devotionals for Families with Young Children by William Coleman. I love the idea of watching nature and forming spiritual lessons--like Jesus did when he talked about sparrows or lilies.

Today I learn that several animals in the woods behind my home fall into the category of "light hibernators." In winter, they take long naps and minimize activity down to the essentials of family care taking. And even this takes on a deliberately slower pace. It's all about conserving energy during these long, cold winter months.

With less sunlight and more cold, I find myself wanting to slow down, eat warm things, and sleep more. Instead of feeling guilty, rushed, or wasteful of the day, I align myself with other light hibernators around me. In January and February in Central Pennsylvania, it's OK to bundle up, stay close to the hearth, and minimize activities. This is a season of more silence, more solitude, and more attention to family.

I love the deliberately slower pace of the animals in winter.