Changing Winter Blahs

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.