Seasonal Play

The most productive part of my day is always the morning. I wake eager to get out the door for my morning walk, except in winter. Especially as I’ve aged. Oh, I’m still eager to “get at it” the moment I open my eyes, as long as “getting at it” doesn’t involve being out in the cold. Most days I don’t let every excuse in the book stop me. After I’ve conquered my “don’t want to’s,” I feel so good that I pressed on anyway.

A friend recently posted a quote that made me feel better about my desire to stay indoors, which essentially said there is real purpose in “wintering.” It is a time of preparing, adapting and carrying out acts of things we need to do in order to prepare for the next season. Spring means new growth, metamorphosis and transformation, something I always look forward to and welcome into my life.

It’s ok I  tell myself. Wintering gives me time to accomplish things indoors. This morning I switched up a recipe by adding big fresh cherries to the blueberry tea bread I usually make. I had something to look forward to after my brisk walk in the cold wind.

Celebrate the rewarding goods of each season even if it is just tweaking things you’ve done many times before. It puts a new spin on things.

“A Child Reminds Us That Playtime Is An Essential Part Of Our Daily Routine” – Ralph Waldo Emerson