Long before "winter is coming" became a catchphrase, people far and wide across the world worried about the advent of the cold months. The snow, the death of prosperity, and the beginning of "hunker down for dear life". It wasn't only natural, but actually expected that you worry about winter, about surviving it, and getting over the difficult, terrifying darkness unscathed.
We've held on to that, to this day, even if our conditions have improved. Luckily, most of us no longer need to worry about the coming winter. In our Western, civilized world, most people no longer die of cold, or hunger, luckily. Obviously, that's discounting the homeless, and the poor, but you know what I mean. Most of us are alright, at least for the time being. Our society has come a long way from those days, and yet, our fear of the dark, cold winter lingers. Nowadays, it's an emotional thing - making sure we survive the winter. Especially over the past two years, it seems the winters have been the most difficult in terms of both restrictions, and deaths. So I guess the cold isn't quite without victims, eh?
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
Yet here we are, mid-January. Almost February, really. Winter's almost over (unless you live somewhere where winter lasts for six months, in which case, good luck to you), which puts one in mind of spring. I was thinking the other day how at least here, in Ro, the period of the year with the shortest days is slowly over. We're past the darkest point, which means there's nowhere to go but up.
We hope.
For many, spring is the time of new beginnings, traditionally, of trying, at least, of getting a little closer to who you really are, or want to be. Spring is coming back to life, which begs the question, what do you want to come back as? I don't know if this is the same in other places, but here, at least, there's this mentality that seems to say "okay, we'll put up with so-and-so to get us through the winter, and then, in spring we will see". A sort of it's winter, there's nothing to be done in winter.
But now, winter is slowly inching towards its natural end, and where does that leave us?
I was thinking earlier about resolutions, how everyone made theirs around New Year's, so less than three weeks ago, and already many people are breaking theirs. And now, with spring just around the corner, there's another reason to make resolutions, isn't there? Come spring, I will fix X, and will do Y. I will change.
Who will you be in the New Year? gradually becomes who will you be come spring?
On a more personal level, the same is true with birthdays, isn't it? People are prompted to think they'll change in this new year, even though one day won't be that much different from the next. It got me to thinking that maybe there's never a time for change. Maybe you don't need to be different next year, next week, or next spring. Maybe it's time you started thinking how you can be different today.
Personally, I can't wait for spring. There's nothing on this Earth like it (quite literally). And for me, it's an unparalleled feeling of rebirth and mirth that can't come fast enough. When I was younger, I used to wait for the winter to be over, to experience this joy again. Now, I'm still waiting for it, but I like to think I've learned how to enjoy the winter, too. You know, just in the meantime.
Yeah it is spring around the corner, I can feel the smell almost. I have been as you said already breaking down one of my new year resolution, but maybe in the new light it will become a spring one 😂 Happy to find you around!