Some days don’t ask much of us, as they glide by on sunshine and momentum, energized by good news and a positive attitude. And then, there are those days that feel heavy before your feet even hit the floor. On the darkest days, the goal isn’t to be brave, inspired, or productive, but simply to go on and do the next right thing.
January has a way of testing that resolve. It arrives with dismal, frigid weather and lingers under gray skies that seem permanent. The trees stand bare and unbothered, the air sharp and unwelcoming. Here at Winterpast, the gardens are asleep, tucked under the weight of winter, giving no sign that life will ever return. Everything feels paused, muted, and waiting.
Winter teaches this lesson well. Beneath frozen ground and lifeless branches, something is still happening. Roots are holding while seeds wait. The pause isn’t the but the preparation for a glorious spring. Just as the gardens at Winterpast will soon wake and stretch toward the sun again, so will we.
This is the month when we have to remind ourselves that doing everything isn’t required, but doing the next thing is. As they sleep, HHH and I are plotting the Great Tree Trim of 2026. All fruit trees are involved, even our majestic apricot. She wouldn’t be the same if her limbs snap under the weight of a heavy crop. Fingers crossed that she forgives the tree surgeon as he works his magic.
In our garden, the next things involve watering thirsty trees. Planting more bulbs before it’s too late. Selecting seeds to sprout. Pruning and trimming the old, to wait for the new. Not very rewarding “next things”, but all critical.
Momentum is built quietly from these small acts of faithfulness. You don’t have to feel strong to be strong. You don’t have to see the future to move toward it. You only have to have faith that the movement itself matters.
It’s the last day of this dreary month, so let’s celebrate and then, do the next thing. Get up. Make the coffee. Feed the dogs. Open the curtain. Answer an email. Open the door. Breathe in the morning air, and then, keep on keeping on.
Do that next thing, whatever that may be, because, when we meet again, February will be here!!!
Have a great weekend. I’ll be back Monday.
