The snow is coming down all around me but the winter days I
remember as a kid growing up seem to be gone. Snow forts with tunnels, toboggan
jumps off of our townhouse community hill, big chunky snowmen with a carrot
nose and button eyes. My bones are getting older, fatigue looming more often,
so that tradition can be passed onto younger generations. But still, how things
change.
What happened?
We get some of the white stuff accumulating on the ground, but
then thawing away every once and a while only to reappear days later. Frigid
cold, then mild, then cold again. Minus 40 to plus 11 in a week and a bit. Is
this now the typical Canadian winter?
It wasn’t too long ago I recall taking my dog for walks. Bundling up
in jackets and mitts. Tree’s would shield us from the wind coming off of the lake near
my house, until they disappeared and we’d have to move fast to get out of harms
way. Frozen fingers and frozen paws.
The dog is too old now, arthritis kicking in. No more walks.
But still, how things change.
What happened?
But even with the weather change, with age change, some things do remain.
Despite the up and down thermometer, to me January to
mid-March still drag on. Depression can still kick in under those overcast
clouds. Cold and flu season I think maybe made worse.
Are these the changing winter blahs… or just the blahs?
We can’t control the weather, we can’t control time; can we
control the blahs?
I don’t know the answer. Maybe it is not about
control but focus, focusing more on what gets me through. The things I enjoy.
The moments that are there.
That younger generation in the smiles of my niece and
nephew. The joy of still hanging out with my dog. There are so many things to
consider.
There are parts of Winter I have to admit that I like; a nice
snowfall, playing outdoors with the kids, tobogganing, hot chocolate, cozying
up by the fire, chili in the crock. They are not totally gone and forgotten.
But maybe just a couple of weeks, because I’m over it now. If I have to deal
with the blahs anytime during the year… I’d rather one of the other three
seasons. If in fact, those still exist.
