When I was a kid I used to hate Sundays. Why? Because it meant that the next day was Monday and I had to go to school. I don’t feel that way any longer, but unfortunately I now hate fall. Why? Because it means summer is over and winter is coming.
I didn’t hate winter growing up, in fact, my sister and I had lots of fun playing outside in the cold and snow. We’d get bundled up and go out and play for hours. You knew you’d been outside for too long when you came back in and little snowballs had formed all over inside the tops of your boots.
Like all kids, we’d sled down hills, build snowmen in the yard, and throw snowballs at each other. One winter a snowstorm left a big hill of snow in our backyard, and the wind had carved out a valley in the middle of it. In that valley our dad dug out shelves we could use as chairs, beds, and a table, turning the hill into our own personal playhouse. It was a kid’s paradise.
You never forget the sound of your boots squeaking in the snow, the feel of your cheeks turning red with cold, or the smell of the fresh, crisp air that were all wonderful parts of winter as a child. Although you never wanted the fun to stop you eventually had to go back inside, but there was always hot chocolate waiting for you, mini marshmallows melting on top.
Today just the word ‘winter’ fills me with dread. But it’s not the cold I mind so much, it’s the darkness. Even during the day the sky is a drab gray color. Like many that live in the northern part of the country I suffer from seasonal affective disorder. Although I know spring always comes around again, this time of year as the days get shorter and shorter I feel like I’m never going to see a bright blue sky or feel the warm sunshine on my skin again. It’s silly but I can’t seem to stop myself from feeling that way.
Why can’t we just learn to enjoy today? Fall is a beautiful time of year. The temperature is cooler, the humidity lower, and the bugs are gone. The changing leaves are beautiful. Just don’t think about what’s just around the corner.
