I seem to whine and prattle about really unimportant things while people all around struggle with just getting through the day. It's true, some sorrow has befallen my family and that of a co-worker of mine.

All I can think of to make a parable is how we all survive the winter. Or how the trees do. We hunker down, wear our warmest coats, grumble about scraping off the car, eat more, sleep more, try to exercise more, and look toward the smallest light. The days are getting longer. Only by a minute, but longer they are! Valentines abound. Seed catalogs help us plan for spring, or at least dream of it.

Our metabolism slows. We were meant to hibernate a bit. To slow down and rest. Electric lights have tricked us in ways that aren't always productive. Now we feel we need "dawn synthesizing lamps" to combat our Seasonal Affective Disorder. Maybe we need to embrace our inner bear a bit more.

Slowing down and taking time out is good. Being slow and warm is good. Maybe being more like a bear can help us bear what we need to.