Admittedly, I’m a bit of a spring enthusiast. Each year, when the wind changes from a piercing stab to a gentle caress, I hang up my winter coat. From that point on, I refuse to put it on again. If the temperature drops a bit, I add a layer. I remain stubborn about this, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
This past weekend, the weather was unseasonably cold. The temperature dropped below freezing. The wind turned bitter and piercing. We had snow! Sunday I went for a walk. I was wearing a long-sleeve shirt, a thermal shirt, a down vest, and my heavy leather coat. In addition, I also wore a hat, gloves, and wool socks. I felt cold! A few times during the walk I wished I had reneged on my stubbornly held view that the winter coat stays retired until next winter.
I mentioned this to a couple of friends, both of whom dislike winter. They both told me they keep their winter gear out until they’re sure. For one friend, this means May! With all the crazy weather changes, I could almost justify the rationale. Personally, I’d already packed up and then unpacked the winter boots two times since February. Each time I felt certain I was done with my chunky, sturdy winter boots, only to drag them out again and again for surprise weather events. Ugh.
However, as I hunched into my layers, gloved hands in pockets to stay warm, attempting to enjoy the walk, I was reminded of something special. I glanced up, exposing my tender face to the penetrating wind and saw buds on the tree branches. A sure sign that the arrival of spring is in full force. The sudden frost and drop in temperature probably killed some plants. Yet, many survived and continue to grow and develop.
I took comfort in that sign as I scurried home to warm up with some hot cocoa. The perfect end to a snowy, cold, windy walk, anytime of the year.
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