The Quiet of Snow.

What is it about the incredible silence of winter that gives us the desire to continuously inhale words? The way the snow softens the world. The way it devours sound, pillows our view into a downy comfort of softness?

To most, winter is a despised season. But, it would be pressing for me to agree. There is a thrill that runs through one's body to see the first frozen piece of art fall from the sky. To have awareness that the more the snow falls, the more millions upon millions of tiny specks of art are gathering to surround you. Once those billions of frozen works of art gather enough, the world goes silent, we hibernate. Our minds quiet enough to block out all other sound and distraction to focus on the new world at hand. A world of paper, ink and story.

The dark of winter, can certainly, depress the mind. But, there have been studies asking, what if it is not seasonal depression, but we are going into a slower "eco mode"? The signs of high brain activity even during winter are there...we may just be in a mode of hibernation.

Where does reading come into play? In the warmer months, we have more hyperactivity, physically and mentally. But in winter, like the snow, our brain is quieter, softer and has more clarity.

Snow is the added bonus. It is a reminder of the stunning loveliness surrounding us. An abrupt change to our world to remind us that nature is still there. It is nostalgic. Reminding us of our adored childhoods. All of these components are a powerful chemistry to enable our love for reading in the winter. Our winter brain chemistry, our renewed realization of nature, our nostalgia. They all come to a head to create the perfect mind frame, quiet, and magic for reading.

So when our frozen works of art start to fall from the sky, relish the quiet, pull out all of your stories...and settle in for a beautifully long winter.