As I look out of my window, I only see the gray and dullness that winter has left upon us. This year in particular, the winter has been over the top with it's bitter cold, over abundance of snow, ice and short tempered people. My husband and I were fortunate enough to be away most of this wintry blast, but now that we are back, we can truly understand how our family and friends felt over the last few months. Winter can be horrendous, like it was this year. I am assuming it was almost as bad as the winters we faced back in the 50's when I was a young girl. Some of you don't remember that, but the snow storms were big then. In the 60's, 70's and 80's there was an occasional Nor'easter, but not like in the 50's. Endless snow, cold and relentless shoveling of our driveways or walkways sidewalks or driveways.
Hopefully, this will all be far behind us and we can look forward to seeing green grass, crocus, robins, butterflies and an occasional light spring rain, that brings forth the loveliness of the summer. There is nothing more healing and comforting, than after a rainfall when the air smells fresh and clean. You feel alive and you have more energy than you thought you could ever have. Spring is a time to plan for a new garden. Growing the flowers or vegetables that you love the most. There is the planning of family picnics, or having friends over to share a meal or perhaps to just spend an evening out on your patio or deck, talking and reminiscing about the old days or share a laugh or two. Maybe you will talk about the miserable winter you all experienced. Thank goodness that is behind you, but once the summer is over and the fall is upon us, there is that chance that we will experience another winter like we have had this year, or maybe it will be better.
We can't predict what the future will bring. We just have to enjoy the days we have. Complaining about this past winter, while we are sitting out in our yards and sipping a cool ice tea or enjoying the taste of a delicious hot dog from our grill doesn't help us. Let this past season be that, the past.
Enjoy what's ahead of you, not only with the coming of the Spring or Summer, but in our daily lives. You should only worry about today....tomorrow is another story and yesterday is a thing of the past.
Jacqueline Coote is a self-taught artist and author of Women's Fiction
www.impressionsbyjackie.com
