March 19, 2024

It seems wherever you go, you might hear people saying the same thing.  “Where did the Winter go?”  We remember the snow and sleet and frosty mornings… sort of. My heating bill tells me that it really did happen, and it was as cold as any, I guess.  But, winter is in the rearview window now, and oddly I feel a kind of regret.

The snow shoes lie idly in the shed.  If they weren’t aluminum, they might be rusting away from lack of use.  The snow shovels are lolling about somewhere.  The snowblower has long been tucked away after its brief appearance for a light duty job.  The calendar says that spring is coming our way, but we can feel it in the warmth of the sun that is already here.  There may be another snow storm somewhere in our near future, but it will melt away as quickly as you can say April snow.

I’m not the biggest fan of winter, but there are some parts of it that I do cherish.  There’s nothing more comforting than sitting by the fireplace on a cold, windy night with a favorite book.  And there is something healing and energizing about walking in the forest on a brisk and sunny winter day.  It cleanses our lungs and our minds, and lets us know that we are awake and alive and thankful to be so.

There is a lot to be said about tropical breezes, and soon we will be welcoming them our way.  We will put the weary thoughts and the tools of winter to rest for a spell.  We will celebrate the warmth and renewal of the beautiful spring season, and we will rejoice in the summer’s heat.  And if any of this proves too much, we can take Mark Twain’s wise advice about New England: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes.”  Yes, we are blessed to have all of these seasons, even the ones we call “Mud”!