I was reading a blog post today about "winter being a hard time for everyone". And it made me wonder---what time of year ISN'T potentially a "hard time". And is in our best interest to keep thinking and talking about an entire season as "hard", when its a predicted and unstoppable fact of life?
So winter is hard. OK, its cold & dark. Maybe spring is "easy" for most people, but then we get to the end of the school year that is regularly touted as "crazy busy". Summer rolls around. After a while, parents get a little overwhelmed by the chaos and lack of routine. So the end of summer with kids at home may be "hard". But then back to school in the fall is a little nutty as well, right? And many many people struggle with stress during the holidays. So I guess we have April? May? July? Three months that no one can rightfully call "hard", can they?
I wrote last year about trying to embrace winter, and it sort of worked. Or maybe my kids not needing help getting their gloves on did the trick, but really, it was fine. This winter has been incredibly mild, weather-wise, so I have nothing to complain about. I'm not counting down days or desperately waiting until spring. Sure, its dark when I get home from work, but I still enjoy the walk, and the views of the city from the bridge are even more spectacular when I can see it lit up against the black sky. Its getting lighter every day, noticeably so by now. I may miss the coziness of arriving home in the dark and settling into our evening.
I do all my usual things, and have added on some winter activities. B and I are doing ice skating lessons which is fun (and super challenging. I have weak ankles apparently). We played in the snow a few weeks back, and are looking forward to hopefully having more. We are eating more soup and roasted veggies. I don't mind turning on the oven every night.
The "winter" phenotype of cold/dark lasts about 4 months around here, so finding it "hard" would doom 1/3 of my life to slogging through a difficulty. I don't want to live that way! And if I hated it that much, I'd seriously consider moving back down south (where summer is "hard" so you really can't win unless you find yourself in paradise).
This is a wonderful post that reflects what a good mental space you seem to be in.
ReplyDeleteMe? I'm fine to acknowledge that I find winter is hard.
I'm glad you're in a good mental space about winter!
ReplyDeleteAre you using figure skates or hockey skates? I tried skating last winter (for the first time in about 25 years) using figure skating, and I was an absolute disaster. I then tried hockey skates, and they were vastly better. I might not have given up skating (or broken my leg skating as a child) if I hadn't been forced to use the "girl" skates.
*figure skates
DeleteI found out last year that Paradise has shorter days in the winter than what I'm used to living in non-Paradise. I had not been expecting that, though I probably should have. :/
ReplyDeleteOur winters and our summers aren't that different here in SF, but I do appreciate the subtle changes we do get. I like wearing warmer, cozier clothes in winter. I like the feel of the hot air blasting from the heater in the morning. I don't even mind the short days that much. The rain has gotten a little tiresome this winter but I know how desperately we need it so I'm trying to push down my exasperation.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't really a season that is "hard" in SF. At least not weather wise. Does that makes it paradise? ;)
Noemi - sf might be paradise if it were cheaper!
ReplyDeleteOur winter is amazing. May thru Oct pretty much suck as far as weather goes! But I get what you are saying. There's always some reason why NoW is harder than some theoretical future ...
Like your perspective here. For me, winter is my hardest season in this particular time in my life--at home with three kids who do best while playing outside! But we live in NC, so I can't complain that much!
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