Therapy Tuesday
Photo by: dcjohn
Old Man Winter hasn't quite clutched the DC area, but our temperatures have gone spiraling (not in the direction I would hope) and we're bracing ourselves for a long cold-spell. Certainly, we have it easier right now than in the Great Lakes region, where snowfall of 3 feet is already gracing the ground.
I have a mixed relationship with winter. On the one hand, I was conditioned to love it. How can you not love the season in which your birthday takes place? I loved snow days when I could drink hot chocolate and laze about rather than go to school. As an adult, I see winter's other side: cold. Annoying snow that keeps you cooped up inside until cabin fever strikes (OK, this is a bit dramatic, but after last year, it is a legitimate concern). I think what I dislike most about winter is the way humanity treats one another.
Sure, there are a few weeks where good will towards other is the norm. But some people don't seem to get that memo. By nature, winter is a time for hibernation. Despite technology, I think that we do that on a social level. There are fewer gatherings (or at least incentives to go to them) come the New Year. People tend to hunker down. There are fewer random smiles at strangers as you walk down the street. I'm sure this is partially because looking up would be a gust of wind freezing your face...
Winter is a time of collecting oneself. Taking stock. Preparing for change. It's a time to garner the hope that will blossom in the Spring. Winter is a time for motivation. As each day passes, a small kernel of hope is renewed. Winter will end, and with it brings the opening and blossoming that springtime offers. We can then peel back our layers. And discover which parts we have shed.
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