Waiting for Summer

At the time of writing this column, there are 138 days until summertime officially arrives here in   Iowa. After an entire week of my kids, my spouse, and myself all being sick… I’m counting   every single one of them. 

I’ll be honest…. I’m done with winter. 

I’m done trying to look at snow with awe in my eyes. Done romanticizing cold days with cozy   blankets and warm drinks. Done with the grumpy attitudes that come from kids who just want to   be outside but keep coming in with wet socks and frozen toes. 

I’m ready to sit around a campfire, barefoot, with stars overhead, while those same kids run   around collecting cool rocks instead of asking for another snack. 

So yes, I’m counting down the days until warmer weather like a kid on December 1st waiting for   Christmas. 

But why is this part of winter, the tail end, always the hardest? 

Technically, it should be easier. February actually gives us more daylight than late December.  

But December comes with distractions. Holidays. Gatherings. Things to look forward to…   assuming you enjoy your family, which I mostly do. 

February just feels heavy. 

There’s science behind that feeling. Less sunlight means our bodies produce less vitamin D,  which affects mood, and melatonin levels can get thrown off, making us tired and irritable. When   we feel low, we tend to isolate, because even the idea of being social can feel exhausting. 

Trust me, I get it. I’m right there with you. 

I don’t feel especially creative or overly friendly right now. I feel tired. A little cranky. Like only a sunny day by the lake could fix me. 

But here’s the deal: this is the part of winter where we actually have to keep showing up. 

Even when it’s cold. Even when it’s wet. Even when the world feels grey, and we feel a little grey, too. 

It doesn’t have to be anything big. Invite a friend over for a movie night. Bake something   together. Fold laundry side by side. Change the oil in your car. Invite your mom over to make   you a grilled cheese. Sit with a friend and read. Or stare at your phones together in comfortable   silence. That counts, too. 

Winter is isolating enough without us doing it to ourselves. 

And if reaching out feels like too much, there are other options: light therapy, bundling up and   getting outside, moving your body, or even talking with your doctor if self-care just isn’t cutting it. 

The winter blues aren’t new. Even the ancient Greeks wrote about them. Some scientists believe   it’s evolutionary, a leftover from times when winter meant conserving energy because food was   scarce. 

And while I don’t normally recommend spending frivolously, I do feel time should be spent that   way. Because while we know there are only 138 days until summer, we don’t know how many   days we might have to enjoy the sunnier days, so we might as well enjoy the grey days now.  

Together.  

Amanda Rink is the Editor of The Wright County Monitor and a children’s book author. Her (mostly) weekly column is published   in The Wright County Monitor and The Hampton Chronicle. She writes about everyday life in rural Iowa through a unique lens   filtered through motherhood and other life experiences. When she isn’t caring for her family, writing for the newspaper, or   avoiding laundry, she can be found hiding in the woods with a cup of coffee and a romance novel.