Winter in Bloom can light up your life!

What lights up your life? It’s been kind of cold and grey outside and getting dark earlier, which makes for long nights. Have you been noticing these things, too? We decided to look for something to “light up our lives”. We realized that the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska was having their Winter in Bloom light display. This is the third year for this popular event. It has grown from 14,000 attendees in 2017 to 44.000 attendees last year. We’ve been there each year and it keeps getting bigger and better.

Driving into the Arboretum, we were welcomed with lighted trees, setting the expectation of more delight to come. The main building was filled with glowing and twinkling lights. People were excited to see the different types of lighted trees, decorations and the 25 ft. tall poinsettia tree comprised of 525 real poinsettias – what a sight! The Chanhassen High School Chamber Singers added to the enjoyment and on other days there will be more musical venues.

Outside we experienced the “winter bloom” of various flowers depicted by lights. Beautiful, giant water lilies abound. Where else can you find varieties of lights and “flowers” combined to help make the dormant and drab winter become alive and colorful? Winter in Bloom is definitely one way to light up your life!

We thought further about what lights up life. The flowers in our sunroom reach to grab as much sunlight as they can. That light is their life. In our life, we often reach for people we love to help provide light for our life. Even the dictionary describes how the light of your life means “a person that someone loves and who makes them happy.” The example given is “His daughter is the light of his life.”

Debby Boone recorded You Light Up My Life in 1977 and it was the top song for 10 weeks. So, we see that lighting up a person’s life is often about people.

Have you noticed that some other ways people tend to “light up” is by sharing their gifts and talents? This also affects the people who are present to enjoy those gifts and talents and they light up, too. A simple way to bring light to someone’s life is through a smile or kind word.

We asked three people for their answer to the question, “What else, besides family and friends, lights up your life?” Kathy McLain, Chaska resident, answered, “I have a couple of things that light me up. One thing would be my faith. It can be a beautiful day or a dark day, I feel like my faith can just keep that light glowing in myself and in the potential or possibility of the world having that light as well. The other thing is my wonderful friends and they will tell you more about a trip we’re are planning.”

Then we talked to Susan Schierts, from Minneapolis, who told us, “What lights up my life is planning a retirement party and travel with a friend who’s retiring and a friend who retired a couple of months ago.” Susan looked at the other two women and added, “We’re going on our own South Freedom Tour.”

Lore Roethke, from Minneapolis, shared, “What lights up my life, besides family and friends, is traveling with friends. Also, walking through beautiful walkways that we have, trails we have here in Minnesota and other places of the state and world. And good books light up my life as well.”

We found out these three women have all been teachers in Chaska and that they have been friends for forty years. No wonder they would say that doing things with friends lights up their lives.

For us, many things light up our lives – always family and friends, also learning new things, spirituality, savoring nature and listening to good music, our work, and more.

What about you? What lights up your life?

Some ideas: If you know what lights up your life, of course, do more of it! If you’re not sure what those things are, look at when you feel happier and what gives you good energy. Also, we encourage you to try new things. You might find something that truly gives you those wonderful feelings. As you light up your life, you’ll be able to shine and light up the lives of others. And remember, visiting the Arboretum’s Winter in Bloom light display is a great way to lift spirits and light up your life.

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2019 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.