Since we're in a deep freeze here in the Chicagoland area I decided to focus my Five On Friday on five things I love about Winter. I could probably come up with at least 5 things I hate about winter but to get me through this time of the year I thought I'd focus on the positive. Wintertime is a magical time of year, it's cold and snowy, sometimes brutal and cruel and yet can be beautiful and serene. I thought the best way to face the harshness of winter is to embrace the positive!
What five things do I love about Winter?
Promise
The best part about winter is that it doesn't last forever. When we are facing temperatures 15 degrees below zero we know that it's only for a little while. We know that in a few short months the temperatures will be rising and the snow will be melting. The promise of spring is always there. In winter things go dormant, trees stand tall and brace themselves against the cold brutal winds. They signify strength and the promise that better days lie ahead. Soon the sun will shine warmly, their leaves will begin to bud and they will flourish. I think that's a great metaphor for all of us when we are facing challenges in our lives. We can look at a cold spindly wintertime tree and know that someday soon that tree will be full of life again.
Resiliency
The cold harsh winters remind us of just how resilient we can be. I can remember walking to school in the city as a little girl along with my two brothers. We used to tease him and if he cried little ice crystals would form on his eyelashes. Looking back now I think how cruel we were but we were just kids. The fact is we never missed school on those days and our schools rarely closed. Today the schools close all the time when we have sub zero temps or heavy snows. I suppose it's a good thing but what is it teaching the next generation about commitment? I made it to school every day in the cold and I grew up into an adult who doesn't miss work due to weather. The newer generations are different. I will admit however that there was nothing more exciting than a "snow day"! It was so rare back then, today the kids expect it!
Beauty
The first snow falls are beautiful. Our worlds are covered in a blanket of pure white that glistens in the sunlight. We know that the snow signifies the holidays are near and our worlds become a Christmas card. I love that time of winter but after the holidays is the time when I start to hate the snow. Then a big snowfall comes through and it's beautiful all over again.
Anticipation
After months of cold weather and snow my anticipation for Spring starts to happen. Things slow down in the later part of winter. I can't do much outside and so I start my spring planning. I order some special seeds for the garden and start to make plans for what and where to plant. I love to go into the stores and see the Valentine's day décor and spring gardening merchandise starts to pop up and the winter seems to get that much easier. I start to anticipate the first signs of new life. The snow puts everything to sleep and when it melts it nourishes the plant life waiting below the ground. The first sign of spring bulbs popping through the ground is exciting and rejuvenating.
Hibernation
The cold winter sends us all indoors for the season. As I write this post the temperature outside is 5 degrees. The wind is cold and chills you through to the bone but there is nothing more comforting than to come inside our warm house and snuggle under a blanket like a bear in a cave with a cup of hot chocolate. What's comical is that in the spring all our neighbors start to come out of their homes and it's as if we haven't spoken for months. It's just it's so darn cold during the winter that we run from our cars into the house. I love it when the weather breaks and the neighbors kids come out to play. It's amazing to see how much they have grown in the winter. It really is like we're all a bunch of hibernating bears coming out of our caves.
I hope my Five on Friday helps you get through the winter if you're feeling the cold weather like we are here in the Chicagoland area!
I am joining in Five on Friday, taking five minutes from our day to enjoy five things. Please go and visit the other people who are also blogging about Five on Friday this week.
Helen from Woollybluebells
Gina from Fan My Flame
Joanne from A Whole Plot of Love
What a wonderful and inspirational post for your Five on Friday, Debbie. It is good to focus on the positive things to help get through the dark winter months. Have a lovely weekend:)
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie, that's a positive way of looking at winter! Visiting from Amy's blog :-)
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