WINTER IN MEMORY
By Dr. Patrick Lau
李白: 燭龍棲寒門，光曜猶旦開。日月照之何不及此？惟有北風號怒天上來。燕山雪花大如席，片片吹落軒轅台。
Since my wife and I relocated to Florida from Indiana almost a decade ago, winter only exists in our memories. Here in the Sunshine State, 春有百花秋有月, 夏有涼風冬無雪。 We have been blissfully enjoying the greenery and blossoms all year round. We dearly miss the spectacular fall foliage. 紅葉醉秋色, 霜葉紅於二月花。Albert Camus once said, “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” Nonetheless, we do not miss the cold weather, freezing rain, sleet, snow and ice. 北風徘徊，天氣肅清，繁霜霏霏。
We vividly remember that in the Midwest during wintertime, the sky is ashen. The trees have long shed almost all of their colorful autumn leaves. 天寒紅葉稀。The bitter glacial north wind hit the trees, blowing down the few remaining withered leaves on the lifeless branches; all the trees eventually appear barren 寒風摧樹木, 北風叫枯桑。 The last of the autumn flowers have faded due to the frost and the bitingly cold temperature. The once lively grass simulating a great jade-green carpet covering the earth has turned lifelessly yellowish brown. The geese and swallows have departed long time ago 千山鳥飛絕。 Seemingly, everything is so listless; a sense of melancholy is felt in the frosty air.
Then suddenly, fluffy snowflakes start falling down from the sky 急雪舞迴風, 雪花大如手。 They dance gracefully in the air, hitting the ground gently, creating a picturesque scene 飄飄送下遙天雪。 There is the complete silence and serenity 萬籟此俱寂。 “Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem.” said William Gibson. Winter also brings with it the beautiful winter flowers, such as roses, poinsettia, and winter jasmine, among others, blooming in the cold air and delightfully embracing the snowflakes.
The Chinese plum 梅花 tops the list of all the wintertime flowers. It is the most treasured blossom in Chinese art and poetry; it symbolizes beauty, perseverance, hope and purity. 雪霏霏，雪向梅花枝上堆, 雪似梅花，梅花似雪。 梅須遜雪三分白，雪卻輸梅一段香。梅花不肯傍春光，自由深冬著艷陽。風飛強暴飜添思，雪欲侵凌更助香。 Moreover, 有梅無雪不精神，有雪無詩俗了人。In fact, some plants necessitate to go through a period of low winter temperature (vernalization) to instigate or augment the flowering process.
The accumulated snow covers up the straw-color parched grass, forming a colossal piece of white mantle that spreads beyond the horizon. 冰峰撐空寒矗矗，雲凝水凍埋海陸。 The snow also thoroughly drapes the limbs of all the barren trees, changing them into elegant, artistic, arching projections 六出飛花入戶時，坐看青竹變瓊枝。 It beautifies everything it covers. The heavy load of snow occasionally cracks and breaks some branches, momentarily disrupting the tranquility. 夜深知雪重，時聞折竹聲。枯枝摧折，白雪紛紛撲地。 The once lifeless Earth has been concealed under the undisturbed thick whitish snowy blanket; and it has been transformed into a white Heaven.
Winter seems desolate and bleak. 千裏黃雲白日曛，北風吹雁雪紛紛。 However, winter is peaceful and serene. In the winter morning, the dewdrops glitter on the leaves of the evergreen trees – spruces, firs, cypress and pines. In daytime, it is chilly yet cheerful with the warm winter sun shining high up above. At night, the moon and stars are piercingly bright; with their reflection from the white snow, the whole world seems to subtlety light up 只有霜華伴月明。The once sadness and dullness have vanished in the tranquil and serene milieu.
Winter has its romance and poetry; unique in its qualities. John Burroughs wrote, “It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.” Winter does not have the gorgeousness of spring, nor the vigor of summer, nor the richness of autumn; nonetheless, it possesses incomparable quietude and tranquility. Winter teaches us to appreciate and be content and grateful for what we have. In the words of William Blake, “In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.”
鄭燮: 晨起開門雪滿山，雪晴雲淡日光寒。檐流未滴梅花凍，一種清孤不等閒。