Winter's Slow Crawl

We have wandered into the bleak mid-winter, the time of year when we find ourselves bundling up, shoveling snow and fighting assorted ailments. It’s enough to get you counting the days ‘til Spring Training begins.

I saw a poll on weather.com the other day, in which web visitors said they feel more upbeat during warmer weather by a 3-to-1 margin. While I’m certainly amenable to having a great day in January, I find myself agreeing with the scientific research that claims warm weather boosts our moods and mental health. It’s a challenge, when a flu bug is racing through your house and you can’t open the windows and there’s ice outside, to get yourself pumped up for a super day.

It can be crummy, this cold-weather scene. But if you’re living in an all-seasons climate like I am, to feel the blues for three or four months of every year can be quite a drag. The solution, of course, is to find a way of fighting through the frigid days by making your own fun. For some, it’s skiing. For others, it’s trips to the movies. For still others, it’s walks outside or on the treadmill. The list goes on.

As I sit in bed today recovering from a stomach virus, I look for the silver linings. I read some baseball “hot stove” rumors on mlb.com. I get paperwork done for my job, and even get myself ahead of the game a bit. I watch Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint speak about their new book on “Meet the Press,” and I feel inspired. I talk with my wife about going away to celebrate the 20 years we will have been together next month. I hear my girls chattering throughout the house, and listen to the joyful song of their voices.

The slogan tells us life is good. And it is right, as far as I can tell. Studies also tell us that our moods improve when we smile. So as the winter continues its slow crawl, may we all find the things that lift our spirits and make us feel as though we are standing in the warm sun.