For many of us, this winter is near our twentieth. Most of us have lived in the continental United States all our lives, and witnessed the same ebb and flow of the seasons as they cycle through an amazing progression of life. You might have noticed the same ebb and flow within yourself. As the trees and leaves bloom and thrive, then wither and fall, so might have your spirits. The connection between our Earth and minds speaks volumes and fuses an appreciation for our home with a deeper look into our psyches.
While humans may spend most of their time shielded by concrete walls and carpeted flooring, the motivational effect of the growth and green outdoors is not lost upon us. Whether you find simple joys in basking in the sun and summer air or impassioned inspiration from the warmth and colorful life permeating spring, the warmer seasons present a very different mode of living than autumn and winter.
In turn, the colder months bring with them a shortage of light, muted colors, and perhaps, lonelier nights. The phrase “winter blues” is a classic, and validates what many of us might feel when the biting cold and bitter winds foster darker, sadder feelings than usual. Such an emotional effect fueled by physical sensation might seem strange but makes sense in context. We get lazier, tired more often, or oversleep. Some people might gain weight or become more irritable. Severe cases have even been documented by psychologists as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, and supported by scientific evidence. Factors include disruptions of our bodies’ production of melatonin and serotonin, which affect mood and sleep.
These seasonal changes in mood might be exacerbated by the onslaught of holidays towards the end and beginning of the year. While happier celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Christmas might traditionally uphold the value of family and friends, for those of us that are missing or apart from them, we are only reminded of our loss. For less inclusive holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, we might feel even lonelier and lost.
Truly, like so many other feelings that we have, this phenomenon of our personalities is remarkably complex. Yet we must remember that we are never truly alone. A friend can be made in the most unassuming of places, and love can be found in yourself if only you look hard enough. As the seasons shift in their endless cycle and the years pass, remind yourself that a friend and a soft summer breeze isn’t so far away.
