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Don’t take January for granted. Enjoy the fruits of winter.

Dreary November excites us with the promise of the first snow, and childlike wonder rushes through us the second it falls. Once the worn and tired earth is blanketed and the busy sounds of life are muffled, we allow ourselves to be still — to rest with the earth in a new and pure world. 

Yet by January, we are restless to return to the bustle and warmth of livelier seasons. Though spring and summer are more enjoyable, heatwaves make us lazy, and we take long-desired comfort for granted. Winter, harsh and unavoidable, forces us to grow in a different way.

The wind wails, saying what we’ve tried to keep quiet, and the glimmering ice grins, pleased with its power over our senses. When the usually inviting sights are buried beneath the snow, we are left with self-reflection. Winter forces us to look inside ourselves and dig deeper into our relationships.

A bleak atmosphere becomes the purest comfort when we take up the tradition of the hearth. The ancient Greeks thought so highly of the hearth that they fashioned her into a goddess, Hestia, who brings purity, stability, and family unity. The hearth is a place for family and friends to gather and bond in confidence and prayer without the distractions of everyday life. 

Often, as college students on a busy campus, we need reminders to slow down. Hillsdale winters force us to do just that. We can cherish the tradition of the hearth even in fireplace-less college dorms, by spending time with our peers to focus on something beyond the stress of college. That might look like board games or baking, movie marathons, or winding conversations.

Rather than feeling battered by the wind, surrender to the season just like the flora and fauna do when blanketed by snow. Enjoy the opportunity to rest with the earth in the simplicity of winter. Sit by the hearth, watch the snow fall, and talk with your loved ones face-to-face about what matters most.

Grace Brennan is a sophomore studying English.