by Aaron Jubar

Spring has sprung! At least, that is what we would all like to think. We will inevitably get our hopes up for warm weather, only to be struck down in late March by an early spring blizzard. But the seasons are changing as Old Man Winter's hold on the mitten-state lessens. The signs are all there: birds singing in the trees, a warm sun on your back. Life is returning to the world -- the world we are accustomed to. So does that mean that the world was dead in winter? Not in the least. Sure, nature is more vibrant and energetic in the spring and summer but, trust me, the world is alive and well during the winter months as well. All you have to do is look a little deeper.

My winter travels in our state took me to a variety of places. Often, I was exposed to cold, seemingly lifeless woods. At first glance, one might think that all life had left the forest -- that even the mighty trees were nothing but lifeless husks standing as a reminder of better times. A thick blanket of snow forms a suffocating layer from which the earth itself cannot breathe. That is, of course, what the slumbering forest would have us believe.

If you stand still in the wintry woods, however, the signs of life would quickly become apparent. The skittering of a squirrel, the flash of a deer, the bound of a rabbit, are all commonplace in the "lifeless" forest.

If you are willing to search further into the forest and penetrate the thick coniferous branches, you may come upon wary partridge, wild turkey, or a keen sensed fox -- all oblivious to the cold hand of winter. Suffice to say, the forest in winter is full of vibrant life, if you are willing to look deeper.

This winter I also had the luxury of trudging on a number of our lakes. I was truly walking on water (when else can anyone but Jesus walk on water?).

To the unknowing observer, a lake in the middle of winter is hardly apparent when covered with snow. Not much is left to distinguish a drift-covered lake from a flat field. Again, just like the forest, all signs of life are non-existent.

It is easy to imagine lakes and ponds as going into a kind of hibernation until spring. Still, the signs of thriving life are all there, for those willing to look underneath. Were you to drill through the ice and look beneath the lake's hard winter shell, you would see an underwater world teeming with activity.

At first you would notice the large plants that are still green as they utilize the small amounts of light shining through the ice. Next you would spot the abundant fishes, swimming about in search of food and shelter. Were you to look through a microscope in this underwater world you would be amazed at the tiny creatures going about their lives in the freezing water. To gaze beyond the exterior can reveal volumes.

To look beyond the surface, however cold and unpleasant, requires patience and the ability to accept things the way they are. Just because we do not overly enjoy winter does not mean we cannot appreciate the role it plays in the circle of life for our northern creatures.

Perhaps we can look beyond all the little imperfections perceived in winter -- the wind, the ice, the snow -- and understand that there is a deeper, more profound presence at work at all times. God makes his presence known in the most subtle ways. Even on a cold wintry day.

Looking deeper can also be applied to our interactions with others. Oftentimes we judge people on their appearance and what they look like on the surface. Rarely do we reach out and search for what lies beneath a rough exterior.

But if the stories of the winter forest and frozen lake teach us anything, it is that no matter how coarse and unpleasant on the surface, there is still the possibility that life is vibrant beneath.

I challenge you, during this time of transition from winter to spring, to look deeper at others, the world around you, and most importantly, at yourself.

Have you ever gotten to know someone who was not at all like they appeared to be?
What was your initial impression of that person?
Do you "judge a book by its cover"?