Lovely article from the Washington Post
Gabrielle Dean
These winter images gave readers hope
From the mountains of New England to the redwoods of California, these scenes have the power to inspire and console.
Column by Dana Milbank
Even in the cold and dark of winter, nature can boost our sense of hope — and our ability to act on that hope. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the health benefits of taking a few minutes to observe the nature that is all around us. I asked readers to send photos they took of nature in winter, along with a brief description of the emotions the scene evoked.
Many wrote about melancholy, about tough times in their lives and in the world. But they described how nature had rebalanced them, restored them and brought them joy.
Dominique Elliott, from Ellabell, Georgia, sent an image of crust fungi on a tree toppled by a hurricane in late 2024. “In the year since, I have lost my father, my mother-in-law, and one of my dear friends. As strange as this may seem, these fungi bring me solace and remind me of life’s natural cycle and purpose,” she wrote.
Brian Engelhart sent a picture of fossilized coral reef on the Wabash River in Huntington, Indiana. He, too, had lost family members, and he missed his daughter, who had moved to Washington. “Feeling the connection to the woods and the river, and the ancient reef that has been there for millions of years, made it clear that we remain deeply connected to each other, and all of those we love,” he wrote. “It gave me hope, and was a reminder that no matter how much I miss Grace now that she lives far away, the distance isn’t really as great as it may feel sometimes.”
From Emporia, Virginia, came a photo of an old red oak that served as a survey corner marker when Jeanette Hobbs’s grandfather bought the farm on which she still lives. “This tree grounds me,” she wrote. “It gives me hope, because it endures. It reminds me to breathe, because it (and nature) endures and because we’re connected, this tree and I.”
Some described how the winter scenes slow their heart rates and sharpen their senses. Elizabeth Hickey of Alexandria, Virginia, wrote that in winter she looks “more closely at the textures and outlines of the grasses and trees, so I feel more focused.” Joy Breese, of Park Forest, Illinois, found that the woods would “calm my inner turmoil” during a rough patch.
Readers said the winter scenes they observed had them “lost in delight” (Sherry Brennan, Pittsboro, North Carolina), lifted spirits “to unimaginable heights” (Deb Finn, Boynton Beach, Florida), and provided “the best therapy for me in this increasingly crazy world” (Susan Hale, Stevensville, Maryland).
And Beth Hornick of Savannah, Georgia, wrote that watching birds feeding on dried plants in a marsh “shows me that life still finds a way to cope. And so can we.”
Here is sampling of the winter photos and commentary that came in from across the country.
Paul Ramsey | Columbia, Connecticut
“Captured after a heavy wet snow, this photo is so awe inspiring and beautiful — that I do, in fact, feel a sense of hope — in spite of all the hopelessness around us.”
Susan Delphine Delaney | Plano, Texas
Awe that in this thin winter sun, no leaves on the trees, lichen is in its glory.
Steve McIntosh | Columbus, Ohio
“This four-legged, breathing part of nature, both inside our home and out, is a constant reminder that, if we let ourselves, every morning can be Christmas and every night New Year’s Eve. Watching her bound through the snow with unrelenting joy makes me feel hopeful and inspired.”
Susan Fuller | Dallas
“I took this while lying on my back in the center of a stand of trees in the Dallas Arboretum while I was in that city for some very stressful training during the dark days of Covid. There was a fountain nearby, splashing and gurgling. I blocked out all sound except water, all vision except the circle of bare winter trees. It gave me calm, and helped to center me during a very chaotic and difficult time.”
Telin Ozier | Oklahoma City
“I took this at the beginning of this winter. It actually makes me feel complete; a lifecycle all in one tiny little space.”
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