Nature’s Fairy Lights

One of the most incredible, glorious, wonders of nature, is the way the dawning sunlight plays its hand, with masterful strokes of genius. On a frosty morning, from the vantage point of the hot tub, a wonder to behold, plays out before my eyes. 

As the frost on the naked tree next door slowly melts, under the sun’s warmth, the most amazing phenomenon occurs. The tree lights up, one little light bulb at a time! It is morning, and yet, the tree looks like fairy lights are turning on. First one, then two, then six, then lots. The warm, golden, glow of the morning sun thaws the frost and in doing so, the frost turns to droplets of water. Each little droplet of water is lit up by the sun. 

For that moment, for that captured time, between frost and the water droplets either, dropping off the branches or drying up in the sun, the tree is transformed into nature’s fairy lights. 

After the droplets have finished their display, another beautiful joy of nature occurs. A song thrush alights upon one of the highest branches, on the same tree and begins to serenade the morning, with its beautiful sweet notes. It feels as though the performance is just for me. Such a sweet song. 

By now the brushstrokes of dawn have blended into a warm palette of soft coral and pale blue letting us know, that today is going to be a clear blue sky day. Expectation of warm sun on the bones, even if it is chilly in the shade, it is winter after all! 

What a blessing. Sometimes, in the stillness, creation feels less like something to admire and more like a gentle reminder that the Creator sees us, delights in us, and invites us, simply to pause and wonder.