Does this winter seem longer than other winters? It feels like it is following the directions on a shampoo bottle, but instead of ‘rinse and repeat’ it is an endless loop of ‘freezing cold, warm slightly, snow heavily, blow, drift and repeat’.
I have been looking to the west for an arch to appear in the sky – for the wind to bring along a warming Chinook and give us a slight reprieve. You remember a Chinook right? That weather event that acted like an upper for all of us living in the frozen north and we all got a bit silly and went outside without jackets or proper footwear. When the kids would come home from school with soaking wet snowsuits and their cheeks rosy from finally getting to play outside.
Reminders to “Put a jacket on! You are going to get sick!” were not taken seriously because...FREEDOM!!!!
Years ago, while filming The Revenant near Calgary, Leo DiCaprio reportedly called the Chinook “Scary” and “Dramatic” but we Canadians know it to be a golden ray of sanity! Some might even say that the Creator is ‘throwing us a bone’.
It is amazing what changes occur when our bodies begin to thaw ever so slightly even if it is just for one day.
If living without sunshine causes S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) then this sudden appearance of warm winds and sunshine causes D.O.V.E. (Delusions of Vernal Equinox).
Speaking of Seasonal Affective Disorder….have any of you purchased one of those special lights for your office or home? I bought one two years ago and have yet to turn it on. It sits beside my computer in my office and I look at it every morning, but honestly...it is so darn bright! Plus, it came with a disclaimer that you should only use it for a certain amount of time every day and because I am a chronic worrier, I worried that I might overdo the light therapy. I am not sure what would happen if I did use it for longer than recommended but that disclaimer was enough to make me paranoid. I guess I would rather be S.A.D. than suffer the ill effects of light therapy and the result is that I have a really cool looking lamp thingy on my desk that I never use.
Aaaanyway...back to the Chinook. I wonder if the E.R. sees an increase of injury following these winter warming weather events? I can see it happening because when we suffer from D.O.V.E we think we can attempt all sorts of things. We go snowshoeing and snowboarding and skiing and tobogganing and our bodies pay the price. Our delusional brain embraces the Nike slogan and says, “Just do it!” and so we do and then follow up with a visit to the Emergency Room with bruised tailbones, sprains and concussions.
Our neighbor across the street will be out fertilizing his south facing lawn while we continue to shovel snow off of our front yard.
Spring...it will come.
Judy Kucharuk is a lover of sarcasm, witty people and footnotes. You can read her book “Naked Tuesday” or catch her on CBC Radio Daybreak North where she shares her “Peace of Mind”. Follow her on twitter @judylaine
