Winter turns us inward to deeper contemplation of our lives. As a tree loses its leaves, laying bare the branch structure that defines its own individuality, so there is a revelation in each of us whose life pattern exists beneath the surface.  Winter asks us to reflect, to gaze back into the deep. The paths we have followed, the powers we have cultivated, the connections we have made, investments of time, money, and energy spent-- all are exposed, like bare black branches against the snow.