Every now and then Nana Gaia wakes you up with a sunrise so fiery that it burns through your worries, stress and long list of things to do that day.

You can catch brief glimpses of brightness on even the stormiest paths, if you keep a sharp eye out for them.

They’re important reminders that the sun is still up there. And that it will outlast even the worst conditions the world throws at you.

Nana can definitely get on your nerves at times.

The endless gray days of February, the wet spring snows just when you’re thinking that winter might actually end, and the sticky-hot days of summer with no cooling breeze in sight.

But often she creates these situations to help teach you the importance of patience.

Nurturing true patience is just a matter of learning to put things into perspective — to understand what’s actually worth getting frustrated over and what’s really only a temporary inconvenience in the big scheme of things.