It has been quite the process to get me to appreciate days like today. I realize I am a Minnesota girl now, but I haven't always been. I grew up in a country where we spent our Christmas on the beach, wearing sandals and walking on the reefs. We always looked forward to it because the pineapples were sweet, the weather was warm and we had friends gathering that were so close we called them family. We were a long ways from family at the time, so it was special to be able to share the holidays with the next best thing.
Thanksgiving in Madagascar usually meant a day off of school because mom liked to try and honor the holiday. I remember one Thanksgiving in particular where we went out to eat at a local hotel and even got to go swimming in the outdoor pool. We shared in our typical thanksgiving tradition of going around the table and telling everyone what we were thankful for. Most important of all, the meal didn't include turkey, which was a food I didn't particularly enjoy as a youngster.
When we moved back to the United States in fifth grade, we returned home in March. The snow was gray, the weather bleary and we were faced with the reality we wouldn't be returning "home." It was a big adjustment and I think I took a lot of my distaste of the situation out on the weather. I hated winter, because it was cold, but also because it was so far removed from what I was used to. The onset of winter meant that I was no where close to the comforts of my childhood and where I grew up. I used to complain bitterly about the snow. Even in college my friends knew to avoid me during the first snowfall because it usually put me in a bad mood. I would keep my curtains closed and huff and puff about how stupid it was that anyone would live here.
I used to blame my parents and my ancestors for choosing so foolishly to live in a climate that freezes for more months in the year than it thaws. I would give myself permission to complain because at the time, I had no choice in the matter. My family lived here, so I had to live here by default. It wasn't my choice I would exclaim.
There was also the time I told my mom that we really should have a plan in this state that everyone evacuate during the cold weather. If hurricanes and floods could force people out of their homes then why couldn't 40 below zero do the same?
I don't know that I would say that I particularly enjoy the full five to seven months of winter that we endure every year. By January, which is the month I am usually most homesick for Madagascar, I am usually singing another tune. However, today I woke up and marveled at the snow. It looked so crisp and clean, I decided that if we have to live with the below freezing temps we might as well have something pretty to look at. It makes me want to get out there and cross country ski, although this year I am going to have to try my hand at snow shoeing instead. I now have fun memories associated with this weather and have obviously made a conscious adult decision to live here.
The arrival of winter leads to time spent with family at holiday gatherings. This is treasured time, as we have family spread out far and wide. The cooler weather means warm drinks, cozy fire places and snuggling under warm blankets. Christmas lights provide a much needed glow to the shorter, darker days. Snow on the ground calls for fun times skiing outside, wrapped in long underwear, mittens and scarves. Now, the changing of the seasons doesn't so much remind me of what I am missing out on, it indicates what I get to look forward to.
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