Winter Land

Photographer Richard Main of Thunder Bay digs deep to discover the hidden joys of winter

Winter—sigh. What can I say? My initial thoughts turn to the cold, lack of light and, yes, the snow. Even the cheerful lights on the back of the snowplow fail to lighten my mood.

They say that the perception of beauty is subjective, however. In other words, if I am not there to witness winter, is it still miserable? Reflecting on this thought would indicate that I control my emotional reaction to winter. I only need to look deeper to understand and appreciate what is in front of me. This is true for almost all aspects of life and even how we choose to view each other. I can choose to see the best or worst of what is in front of me. To truly see beauty, I must challenge myself to expend the effort and time to move beyond the obvious, the superficial, the shiny object. I must make the effort and commitment that comes with discovering the depth and genuine understanding of the beauty winter offers.