I had toiled many days through the snowy mountains until my strength and spirit were almost gone. I was about to despair when I came to an area where stone lanterns sat, capped in snow. Nothing was moving, save a few small birds, which filled the air with their chirping. I tried to move on, but they fluttered around me, always blocking my way.
Taken in Odaesan National Park, Korea
I finally held out my hand and one of the birds came and perched on it. It may have been my fatigued state, but it seemed to me that the bird spoke to me. “There is hope,” it said. “You have wandered many days and do not know, but today is Christmas. It is a day when all people can find hope, for it was the day that the great Hope came into the world.”
With that, it flew away and although it would not come back to my hand again, I followed the birds to a hidden path and found myself at last in the land of life and hope.
The Green-Walled Tower 
December 23rd, 2012 at 12:10 am
Lovely entry. Perfect for a pre-Christmas weekend. 🙂
December 23rd, 2012 at 12:15 am
Nice feeling of stillness in this. Just like snow
December 24th, 2012 at 6:57 am
Beautiful post. Happy holidays my dear friend.
December 24th, 2012 at 9:10 am
You too 🙂
December 24th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Peaceful. Beautiful photos, too. Nice, David. Happy Holidays to you!
December 24th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Thank you, you too!
December 25th, 2012 at 11:42 pm
this is just divine David. loved the way you found so much beauty in that ice covered scene. most of people will get morose!
merry christmas!
December 25th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
I love snow though. Walking through a snowy forest is so peaceful. Merry Christmas to you too!
December 26th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
thats a joy i presume/fear i will never enjoy! but i have seen the scenes in movies, they look so pristine! but must be a bit too silent without the birds, or there are birds that can beat snow?
December 26th, 2012 at 6:52 pm
little birds like these stick around for a while in the winter. I’m not sure what kind these are, but they are like chickadees we have in Canada. Chickadees are tiny, but the last birds to leave in the winter and the first to come back. They can survive when bigger birds can’t. There is some sound, but the snow muffles the sound like a blanket.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
they are so sturdy! is not it? we cant even imagine surviving out there the way they do! i wonder where they sleep, or what they eat!
i will post my story on 29th, this one is a tad tough 🙂
December 30th, 2012 at 12:03 am
posted mine today.