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It's January, and for many people in the Northern Hemisphere, Wintertime brings with it a real case of the blues. It could be the cold days, or the short amount of daylight, or the passing of Christmas. It may be a realization that with the coming of the new year, great deeds may not have been yet done, or last year's goals may have fallen by the wayside.

For whatever reason, sometimes for some people, January brings with it not new hope, but new challenges -- the challenges of just trying to stay upright and moving.

I'm sure you're not in that boat -- most of the people who read this weekly feature seem to be more of the go-getter variety, and you've no doubt learned the valuable less of how to keep yourself afloat and underway. But for those people who have a bit of trouble this time of year, it's important to keep one thing in mind: it won't be winter forever.

Life is cyclical, and our years come and go with nary a pause. Just as Summer turns into Fall and then to Winter, the discouraging time that many feel will soon pass away. In the words of the sage, "This, too shall pass." Short days become longer, cold nights become warmer, and the discouragement that sometimes people feel can soon turn to more encouraging times, if we don't allow ourselves to become mired in the bleak times along the way.

My dear mother, God rest her soul, disliked Winter, and I'm afraid I have the same outlook. I love the Spring days, the Summer days. I like green trees and flowers, buzzing bees and leafy landscapes. Although as a photographer I've taken many many pictures, I find that few of them are taken in Winter, even though Winter's short days give photographers incredible landscapes and amazing light. I have to struggle this time of year to keep myself upright in the snow, and to keep myself going strong when times get tough and the days are bleak.

But everybody's life has those moments -- when times are tough, and things are challenging, spirits are down, and we need a little help. It's those times when we remember -- Winter will soon fade, Spring will come again. The greys and blues of Winter will change to the green of Spring. Daffodils will soon put their heads through the ground, roses will bloom sooner than we know, and our lives will become better when we least expect it.

That's the way of life -- our lives are always changing, and the dark days of trial and challenge will soon be the brighter days of success and growth. Each new dawn brings with it the hope for a wonderful day and a better tomorrow.

Copyright, 2011, by Daryl R. Gibson. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for the non-commercial redistribution of this document as long as it remains intact with this copyright and all other lines. This license does not extend to the use of this material in a compilation, whether for profit or non-profit use. Join us at http://www.Weekdaywisdom.com.