Winter

​I embrace winter. I know that it carries a lot of baggage, having snuffed summer and elbowed out autumn. I know it brings runny noses, squeaky heating, and infinite layers to put on, take off, put on, and take off again. I know that ‘daylight hours’ becomes something of a euphemism for the brief interruption of darkness with a few scant and anaemic glimpses of sunshine.
 
Nonetheless, it seems that misery really does love company, and something about the shared suffering of shuffling and snuffling through soggy streets in unwieldy and uncomfortable outfits makes people a bit more sympathetic, a bit more inclined to help, a bit more likely to smile—even though the effort might crack their chapped and desiccated lips.
 
I was in town yesterday, and I found myself near Rockefeller Center. In spite of the gormless hordes of tourists, the giant tree was a genuinely magnificent sight. And opposite it was a young man ringing his bell for the Salvation Army, beaming at the crowds, dancing and clapping to catchy Christmas tunes. I stopped to stuff some bills into his bright red collection pot. He looked at me brightly and said, ‘Now you have to dance with me!’ Well, that seemed way better than the usual ‘Thanks’. So I mustered up one or two rusty 80’s moves and grooved with him for a minute or so.
 
A few blocks later, just beyond the colorful Christmas village and skating rink at Bryant Park, I ran into another Salvation Army outpost. Here a young woman with an angelic voice was singing along to old-fashioned carols. I added my small contribution to her pot. She looked up and said, ‘God bless you, and make sure to stay safe and warm.’ I suddenly realized that, with my excitement and exertion, I had opened my jacket and removed my scarf and gloves, in spite of the freezing temperature. She must have thought I was half mad!
 
Of course, winter wonders are not restricted to city streets. In the woods, a sort of alchemy has taken place with the summer’s sea of green transformed into thick fields of bronze and gold. Trees are now stripped of their leaves, shrinking self-consciously from one another, their nakedness exposing spindly and stubbly limbs. Only the evergreens, previously hidden by the showier trees, now proudly stand tall in their elegant fir coats. Below, squirrels scurry and chatter as they stash their final safety deposits before spring.
 
Then the snow comes, erasing all the world’s pockmarks and blemishes, leaving a soft, clean, welcoming white sheet. Here is a canvas to showcase blue jays and cardinals; even robins and Canada geese look regal and resplendent on such a backdrop. Finally, ice settles on the scene, adding its brittle sheen and occasional shine, like a patchwork of diamonds.
 
Yes, I know that winter brings darkness, discomfort, and inconvenience, but it also brings such stark beauty, a sharp and striking contrast to the gaudy imagery of summer. So I am happy to embrace winter and all its challenges. After all, who knows how much longer winter will be around?
 
12 Dec 2017