If we were to compare the seasons of the year to the ages of man, which age would winter represent?"Old age," you would say. Winter connotes the chill of rapidly receding years and ultimate death. Winter's snow covers the world with a white and aging head. In every language, winter symbolizes old age. every language, that is, except one. In hebrew, the word for "winter," choref, can also connote the hidden burgeoning of youth into maturity.

More than anything, life is about distinguishing the essence from the nonsense.This world is no more than the wrapping that conceals a vast gift. The wrapping is important - you can only get to the gift through the wrapping - but it's all too easy to get sidetracked by the beautiful wrapping and throw away the gift.