Badassery Thoughts 2/17/21

“That’s what winter is: an exercise in remembering how to still yourself then how to come pliantly back to life again.”

― Ali Smith, Winter

Because I was born in December, this is my 60th winter.

As a child, winter was exuberating.

I could stay outside for hours and not mind the cold.

Childhood winters were filled with sledding down hills that looked huge to little eyes,

playing in the snow until my face turned red and I couldn’t feel my fingers and toes,

snowball fights and snow forts that seemed elaborate,

building lopsided snowmen and begging precious carrots from my mom for their noses,

feeding the birds breadcrumbs so they wouldn’t starve,

bread-bag lined boots so my feet wouldn’t get wet,

the familiar smell of wet gloves placed on the heat vent to dry,

writing on the frost on the inside of the windows,

examining snowflakes before they melted to see if each one really was different…

Winter was hot chocolate with marshmallows, vegetable soup, chili, beef stew – the warm your belly food to stave off the cold after playing outside food.

Winter was magical as a child.

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This 61st winter is something a bit different.

I have realized that as a, dare I say, ‘older adult’

I don’t like the frigid winters anymore.

My bones hurt in the cold, my muscles ache (of course, that could be a side-effect of the antibiotics because the severe muscle aches are slowly receding).

I no longer love the snow.

Snowmen – out.

Snow forts – nope.

Sledding – not on your life.

When winter comes to Ohio, I want to stay inside, keep warm, read a good book or maybe even watch a movie, cuddle in bed, and forget the outside exists.

I think the formal name is hibernation.

But winter isn’t all bad.

It’s a time to rest, reflect, and prepare for the glorious warmth of spring and summer that is just around the corner!

Isaiah 48:2 loosely paraphrased says there is no rest for the wicked.

Except in the winter…

So rest up, my friends, I’ll be resting too!

XO Lisa