Brave Enough to Try, Brave Enough to Stay?

Darks Days, Light Hearts

We went to Füssen today, the city near Neuschwanstein, the "fairy tale castle" built by Ludwig II, who may have been murdered at 40 because he was a little too nice, a little too gay, a little too fond of building castles instead of going to war. The mountain ranges here are just astonishingly beautiful, ragged, jagged peaks, nothing rounded or comforting. Great vistas, and today was VERY sunny, a change for us. The snow has largely melted. 
    On our way today, a hawk was flying very low over the autobahn. And then there was one on the ground, not moving. I'm thinking maybe that was it's mate and that was why it was flying so low. Pigeons are mating in the snow on the rooftops here. Tomorrow, snow, high of 30. Saturday, high of 57. Wow!
    I'm getting many opportunities to explore enjoying cold weather and snow. And I'm getting braver about doing so, I think. We took the train to Chiemsee on Sunday, a lake with castles, and spent some of the day on the open top of the ferry. It was in the 20s but the sun was out, so hiking around the islands and even being outside on the ferry deck was unexpectedly beautiful. 
    My feet have yet to freeze, which keeps surprising me.
    Aging, winter, death, darkness - nothing like January to bring us back to our favorite philosophers to get us through. Mine is Anne Lamott.

    I am focusing on my version of Step 10 these dark days:

We continued to take personal inventory of our fears and joys, and to accept that we are not perfect, that change is difficult, and that we love ourselves for being brave enough to try.

    We were brave enough to try, but I still don't know if we're brave enough to stay. But I'm taking my friend Anette's advice and making no decisions about the future in the winter.