As I watch the mid-winter Colorado cold fronts roll in, I remember how many people dislike winter and its brisk weather. Another chilly day means another 24 hours of hearing “I wish it was spring,” as if saying that will let everyone fast forward to warmer days.
I remember when my peers and I were little kids whose ideal cold day involved trudging through the deepest snow piles and iciest winds for a brief sleigh ride down a steep hill. Those same people have become adults who sigh at the sight of an unsatisfactory weather forecast.
At what age did so many people around me start finding cold weather worthless? I greatly appreciate the new meanings it has for me as a young adult and welcome any opportunity to find value in what every brisk day brings.
Cold weather gives us so much beauty to enjoy. According to a publication from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, winter’s cleaner air means more vivid sunrises and sunsets with more complex color palettes, as well as a lower likelihood of fires and smoke pollution.
Winter means fluffy snowflakes fluttering to the ground and a world covered in light frost that sparkles when the sun hits it. It provides an excuse to enjoy swirling gray clouds for hours or fill my camera roll with snowy Pikes Peak photos that would belong in a gift shop calendar.
Chilly weather means we can make coziness a priority. Everywhere I go becomes especially cozy and inviting when it’s cold outside.
Even the slightest cool breeze means bringing out my fuzziest sweaters and favorite long-sleeve shirts when I leave the house. At home, chilly weather gives me another reason to light a candle, drink way too much coffee and hot tea and wear a fuzzy blanket like a cape as I move from room to room.
A cold day is about more than just coziness; it’s an invitation to relax. I treat the moments between the cold outdoors and the warm indoors as chances to breathe and focus on the present.
Any open schedule spaces in the middle of winter’s coldest times can be spent doing something calming and enjoyable. For some, this might be ice skating or skiing. For me, it’s taking a walk, reading a book or working on a drawing with a movie playing in the background.
Next time you wake up to a cool and cloudy day, I encourage you to take the opportunity to make brisk weather more meaningful. When you put on your knit sweaters, overindulge in coffee on too many chilly afternoons and walk through fluffy snow flurries, you might even start to miss the cold weather when it thaws.
Photo by Darius Cotoi on Unsplash.