Winter and the Seasons

I was born in the winter so one could assume that I would like it, right? Well, sort of.

When I was a kid I used to like winter. Sure it meant bundling up before going outside but the feeling of the crisp air on my face and in my lungs was great. Winter was the time for sledding, skating, snowball fights, making snow angels, and of course had Christmas and my birthday. Since my birthday was so close to Christmas the rest of the year had nothing to really anticipate.

As I got older, the snow started to become an inconvenience. It meant being miserable with wet snow and feeling cold. Especially feeling cold. Rain was worse than snow because you could at least brush off most of the snow but when it clumped on your clothes you had to either change or suffer wet clothes until they dried out.

Surprisingly, I didn't mind shoveling. Since I could pick up as much or little snow as I wanted, it was easy to make a game of shoveling and not wear myself out. But I find that nowadays I like the snow to come for Christmas then leave as soon as possible. Not a practical attitude when winter lasts from 5 to 8 months.

Oh yes, it does last that long. We can declare Spring to be here on a certain date but Nature has er own schedule and the area of the world I live in has a longer winter than we humans declare. We can get our first snowfall as early as October and our last snowfall as late as June. Granted neither of those snowfalls will stay. Usually the first snowfall that stays comes in either November or December and the last snowfall in April, sometimes May.

Winter comes with a beauty you have to open yourself to see. The way ice glistens on tree branches, the crisp whiteness of the snow before it gets disturbed and polluted, the sharp bite of the air. For people who don't live in areas where snow comes they can look at pictures of winter scenes and see the beauty of the snow and ice glistening in the sun. They don't experience the crisp air and the cold that slowly creeps in and makes having a mug of hot chocolate so enjoyable.

Do I like winter? Yes, there are still things I like about it although the cold affects me more each year. But I still like bundling up and curling myself around a mug of hot chocolate to warm up.

However, my favourite season is Fall. It's when the air is crisp enough to require a sweater and hints at winter's colder and often crueler air. It's when the leaves change from verdant greens to vibrant colours. It's when the holidays are concerned with giving thanks for good harvests, warm summers, and preparing us for the cold winter to come.

People say Spring is representative of the resurgence of Life. When it's the time we celebrate surviving the winter and look forward to the new year. To me, Fall is the celebration and affirmation of Life and all things worth living. It tells me that we've made it through a year and will make it through the next year. It's a promise that Life continues and prospers.

 Fall is the celebration of Life and promise that the cycle will continue. Winter is the toil and treasures that impact our lives. Spring is the affirmation that the promise of Fall has been carried through, and Summer is the time to rejoice and live Life to it's fullest. Each season has  something to enjoy and something to suffer through or tolerate. They represent Life in all it's aspects.

I like all the seasons but I still wish winter would not last as long as it does.