Most, if not all things in life are governed or dictated by seasons, and it should come as no surprise that I've been thinking a lot about the meteorological season that is winter since I live in the Northern Hemisphere and it's mid-January.
As someone who grew up around the equator, where the lengths of days and nights are relatively constant all year round and the concept of four seasons is virtually nonexistent, I find that I have an unusual relationship with winter, compared to those around me in the aforementioned Northern hemisphere nook that I now call home.
This time of year brings with it short days and long nights, grey skies and cold weather, and all sorts of precipitation, lots and lots of it. It is regarded as a miserable time for many, or at least I thought it was until I learned that it is quite an enjoyable time of year, perhaps even the favourite of the four seasons for some. I'm not just referring to the earlier part of the season either, that run-up to the festive period where there's a collective, unspoken agreement to eat, drink and make merry, as expressed in the form of overconsumption and hyper-consumerism. I was genuinely surprised to learn that even the latter part of winter, i.e. those dreaded, seemingly endless weeks in January are embraced by winter lovers. What should be a miserable time of year happens to be quite enjoyable, even longed for and embraced by many. This, I recently learned, comes down to a state of mind, one that anyone can cultivate.
There's empirical evidence for this phenomenon too. One might think that in places with the longest, darkest, coldest winters, people experience and report a reduced quality of life, but this isn't the case. In Scandinavian and Nordic countries with some of the harshest winters on record, people report being happier than in places with year-round sunshine and clement weather. In fact, residents of some of these countries rank among the highest on self-reported happiness scores.
I know, I know, these studies and insights are based on self-reported data, so it would be incredulous and amateurish to suggest that intense winter conditions make people happier. This is not the case. Rather, what the data suggests, or at least suffices to show is that, among other things, gloomy meteorological conditions don’t necessarily translate to poor wellbeing. What's more, it might even lend credence to the idea that in the face of circumstances beyond one's control – harsh winters in this case – it is possible for one to adapt and choose to maintain a positive, or at least resilient outlook. What's that saying again about making lemonade out of lemons?
This is all to say that regardless of how one feels about the coldest, wettest months of the year, wintering is a state of mind. One can choose to dress appropriately for cold, wet weather. One can choose to wrap up in multiple layers, opt for waterproof clothing, and brace oneself for the elements. One can choose to even seek out activities that are only possible or available in the cold, wet, and/or snowy landscapes that winter brings. Is it any surprise that people take to skiing, building snowmen, having snowball fights, jumping in puddles, dancing in the rain, or a myriad of other activities made possible by copious amounts of precipitation? This all reminds me of a quote from Matt Haig’s Comfort Book which I’ve quoted more than once on this blog:
“It is easier to learn to be soaked and happy than to learn to stop the rain” – Matt Haig
As someone who was born in the land of never winter and who has now lived in what sometimes feels like the land of always winter, I can chart my journey showing the transition from someone who always loathed and dreaded the cold, dark months, to someone who has learnt to embrace, or at least tolerate it, rather than wishing it all away. This is because, like clockwork, winter will come around every year, and when it does it'll be around for a while, but as with all things in life, it'll pass in due course. It never lasts forever, not even in the fictional world of Westeros. And while I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s my favourite season (or second favourite season, or third favourite), I can say with all honesty and confidence that I make the most of it and even enjoy it for as long as it lasts, because why would anyone choose to wish away at least a quarter of the year, every year?
This post is not (entirely) about winter.
P.S.: My debut non-fiction book, Art Is The Way, and my middle-grade novella, A Hollade Christmas, are out everywhere now. You can get them in all good bookstores and from all major online vendors.