The Warmth of Winter

I borrowed this title from one of my ‘books’ in the Seasons series. To some it may not make a lot of sense. Isn’t winter when it’s cold? Well, yeah, but I have found so many things about winter that warm my heart in ways the heat of summer never could. I think it makes perfect sense.
Long ago, huge and swollen from a summer pregnancy with my first child, my internal thermostat broke. Irreparably. I tease Ty that my current abhorrence of summer heat is his fault (it is) but whatever the case, ever since he was born, my ideal temperature is quite a bit cooler than that of the average person. Sometimes I think I could switch off the furnace in our house, go stand down in the basement with my arms sticking out and heat this house better than all that expensive propane we’re burning.
I know I’ve already lost some of you. By most standards, I’m weird. As a general rule, people seem to like warm weather. Sun, baseball, shorts, flip-flops, swimming, that sort of thing. Me, not so much. Winter is my favorite season of all. A few of my friends share this strange outlook (my FB friend Adrianne seems to agree with me) but mostly people just roll their eyes and shake their heads. They don’t get it.
January is my favorite month of the whole year. Perhaps you really don’t care to know why but I’m fixing to tell you anyway.
Cindy’s top 25 reasons for enjoying January
• Snow
• Fleece blankets
• Fuzzy socks
• Bowl games
• Angel’s gorgeous winter coat
• My anniversary
• Snowmen and snow angels
• Refreshing cold air
• Birthdays for me, my dad, Randon, a nephew and a niece
• Sweatshirts and hoodies
• K-State basketball
• Gloves in my coat pocket
• Hot coffee in the morning
• Gray cloudy days
• Lighting scented candles
• Chili in the crock pot
• A new calendar
• New Year’s Resolutions
• No air conditioning
• Kansas day (I love Kansas!)
• Icicles
• Early darkness
• Cold window glass
• Catalog clearance sales
• Seeing my breath in the cold air
Yes, I know. Some of the things on my list of ‘likes’ are probably the same things on your list of dislikes. But just for the record I do have some dislikes about this wonderful month such as W2s, snow days off of school, Nolan going back to Manhattan after break and some I won’t mention here. The point is, we all have things we like and dislike about every season, every month, every era of our lives. I firmly believe that we should look at the circumstances we find ourselves in at any given time and see the things we like about it, find things to make us smile. Looking for the negative, always having something to complain about or wish was different will not do us any favors. You’ve heard that attitude is 10% circumstances and 90% choice. Make the right choice – see the positive in everything that comes your way. It’s always there, sometimes just so well disguised we don’t see it.
And before you think I’m preaching at you, I need this little pep talk probably more so than anybody reading this. I may have January figured out, but wait until July gets here. I will be the one complaining the loudest when the heat of summer melts away my personal little igloo I like to live in. Remind me to go back and read my January blog about firework stand time….
So what if every season was the same? If it was perpetually January, would I be happy all the time? If July lasted forever (it does, doesn’t it?) would I be grouchy all the time? Hmm… don’t answer that. Just remember that July helps us enjoy January and/or vice-a-versa. Would we understand cheerful without ever knowing sadness? It’s the changing seasons that bring variety to our lives. Don’t wish for what you can’t have anyway. Find something to enjoy in the here and now and then do it. It’s really that simple.
Ecclesiastics 3:1-8