Winter is setting in here in the mountains. The trees have dropped their leaves, the grass isn't growing, frost is a regular morning visitor and ice is not too far away. It's almost past remembering that the hills and pastures here were bursting with wild flowers just a few short months ago.

But the lush, verdant summer is only one season, like lusty passion is only on expression in the life of a relationship. Things change, and sometimes the beauty is not immediately apparent.

As we walk along the road the winter colors are muted and unassuming. We can't rely on them to excite us. Instead, we have to give more of ourselves, we have to open and extend ourselves. We have to bring more to the exchange because one half of the partnership - the winter landscape - doesn't have the energy it once did.

Love is like that. Sometimes our partner doesn't have it to turn us on. Sometimes they don't feel well. Sometimes they're depressed. Sometimes they just want to be quiet. They're muted and withdrawn.

That's when we have to extend ourselves, our sensitivity, and look for the beauty of the moment. It won't leap out and grab us, but it's there. And it doesn't mean there's anything we have to do but be respectful of the what's happening and, like in the winter, open to what it has to offer. It will return the rich gifts of it's season and, after a time, will be wild flowers again.