Community Voices ⎸ Finding joy in winter
Project Optimist readers and staff marvel at the beauty of winter.
I have always loved snow.
The sometimes brutal cold can be tough to deal with at times, but every year I marvel at how a few inches of snow change the landscape from the brown, barren, and necessary decay of fall to one that feels crisp and clean.
The sometimes biting cold makes me hyperaware of my surroundings. Snow lights up the sky on a clear night, twinkling like diamonds if the moon is shining.
Even the simple act of breathing is made visible.
But perhaps my favorite part is the quiet. The stillness is almost its own kind of music.
It turns out I'm not alone in marveling at the beauty of winter. After Project Optimist founder Nora Hertel introduced our new Biophilia project, we received several submissions from readers and staff, so we decided to put together an extra newsletter and post this week. Check out the lead image above and more images below! Thanks to those who contributed!
And if you feel so inclined, please consider sending us a submission. Email a photo you captured to social media storyteller Erica Dischino at erica@theoptimist.mn, along with a brief description of the scene, including when and where the image was taken. You can also share through Instagram: just make a post and tag us @projectoptimist.us.
The Biophilia series is funded by a grant from Arts Midwest. We are grateful for their support!