Winter Positivity
- Sheri and Bill Eppright
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Our patio table is blanketed by fresh morning snow. The colorful umbrella, bungeed tightly closed, crowns a three-inch overnight gift. Four chairs lean forward, tipped carefully against the table, as if huddled together for warmth. The ground around them is cold.
At first glance, it looks like an ending. Summer dinners are on pause. Conversations have been packed away. But look a little longer, and it becomes something else entirely. This is what winter positivity looks like.
Sheri: Winter often gets a bad reputation. It’s associated with darkness, cold fingers, canceled plans, and waiting. Waiting for warmth. Waiting for light. Waiting for life to feel easy again. I often treat winter as something to “get through,” rather than something to experience.
Bill: Yep, it’s all about perspective. This backyard scene is telling a different story. Nothing is broken. Nothing has been abandoned. The umbrella isn’t gone - it’s protected. The chairs aren’t scattered - they’re gathered in, leaning together with purpose. The table still stands at the center, steady and patient, holding space for what will return.
Winter positivity isn’t about pretending everything is cheerful when it isn’t. It’s not forcing brightness into short days or ignoring the heaviness that sometimes comes with the season. The snow covering everything isn’t erasing the backyard - it’s preserving it.
Under that soft white layer are the same stones, the same grass, the same table that held laughter and meals and quiet moments. The snow simply asks the space to pause. To breathe. To wait.
And maybe that’s an invitation for us, too. In winter, we are allowed to close the umbrella. To secure the loose parts. To lean inward instead of stretching outward.
Productivity doesn’t have to look like motion. Growth doesn’t always look like progress you can see. Sometimes it looks like protection.
There’s something comforting about how intentional the scene feels. The chairs didn’t tip themselves. Someone took the time to prepare this space for the season ahead, to acknowledge what was coming and respond with care. That’s a form of optimism we don’t talk about enough: the belief that what you’re protecting is worth returning to.
Winter positivity is trusting that this isn’t the end of the story.
The color of the umbrella matters, too. Even closed and snow-dusted, it refuses to disappear completely. It’s a quiet reminder that brightness doesn’t vanish just because it’s hidden for a while. Joy can be stored. Warmth can be saved. Color can wait.
And when the snow melts, the chairs will be pulled back, the umbrella opened wide, and the table will once again become a place of gathering. Not despite the winter, but because it was allowed to do its work.
So, if you’re feeling snowed in right now - emotionally, creatively, mentally - take note from the backyard. Secure what matters. Lean on what supports you. Let yourself rest without guilt.
Winter positivity is quiet confidence that spring knows exactly where to find you.
Right where you are.
Sheri & Bill, Storytellers in Word Image and Song
Positive Reflections...
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.” — Henry David Thoreau
“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” — Victor Hugo
Music Corner....
Winter positivity has a soundtrack – songs that offer warmth, reflection, and reassurance without rushing the season away. They sit comfortably with snow, stillness, and the promise of what’s ahead. They echo the image of the snow-covered patio: thoughtful, restrained, and quietly optimistic, trusting that warmth will return when it’s time. This music reminds us that even in quiet seasons, something steady is playing underneath.
1. “The Boxer” – Simon & Garfunkel (1969)...A song about endurance and resilience. Its gentle persistence and steady refrain capture the strength it takes to keep standing through long, difficult seasons.
2. “River”– Joni Mitchell (1971)...Melancholy but grounding, “River” embraces winter as an emotional landscape. It doesn’t force cheer; it finds beauty in reflection and acceptance.
3. “Holocene” – Bon Iver (2011)...Spacious and introspective, this modern winter anthem captures humility, connection, and calm. It feels like standing still in the snow and realizing you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
Book Shop....
Pictures Pen & Positivity...
A Bright Perspective of Everyday Stuff
Available now!
Pictures, Pen and Positivity – A Bright Perspective of Everyday Stuff
eBook, Paperback and Hardcover
Blending Sheri’s thoughtful voice with Bill’s signature humor, this first book in the Positivity Collection series feels like a chat with two friends who help you notice the good, stay grounded, and laugh a little more along the way.
A warm, witty collection, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy the conversational tone and humor of Bob Goff. Its a perfect gift of Positivity for yourself or a friend!
The Positivity Collection Series - Sheri & Bill
Motivation Gallery....
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Sheri & Bill Music....
Enjoy Sheri & Bill recorded original folk-pop music song videos.
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