On the Meaning of Mid-Winter

Mud-streaked snow covers the ground in patches and the sky settles like a grey blanket over the rooftops. Cheery twinkle lights on evergreen trees have become dull brown branches against a cold sky. The comforting magic of Christmas has left us with the cold chill of February and dreams of spring are starting to flicker through our minds. Grumbling of a never-ending winter, the icy wind ushers in the mid-winter slump, for lack of a more eloquent phrase. This midpoint of the season can cause us to drag our boot-laden feet in drudgery. Yet here we are, with many more weeks of woolen layers, runny noses, and salt-sprinkling until the arrival of spring. 

Each season has its purpose, and mid-winter is no exception. Winter’s charisma shines clearly during December when the first bright snow sends children running to the closest sledding hill. Christmas celebrations gather loved ones together and the cold is an almost welcome incentive to stay indoors by the warmth of the fire. Yet once the festivities fade, we seem to be left with just darkness and cold. While this post-Christmas season doesn’t seem to have much to offer, I’m convinced there’s goodness to be found. 

The other day, we pulled into our driveway after a dinner with some extended family and as my husband put the car in park, I looked up into the rearview mirror and locked eyes with my daughter as she smiled and said “home.” With a satisfied sigh, I replied, “yes, sweetheart, we’re home.” A wave of delight poured over me as I relished my daughter’s contentment. Because what more could you desire as a parent than for your children to enjoy the home you have created for them? I believe the winter season calls us to renew our home life, something we can often miss amidst the darkness. While romping in the snow has its moments, the majority of winter is spent indoors, and in the northeast, preferably by a warm wood stove. The hallmarks of winter are the makings of family life: a warm meal shared with family, reading by the fireside, game nights, baking together in the kitchen, the list goes on. Winter is a time to cultivate relationships within our families and learn how to be together in a unique way as everyone endures the bitterness of the cold. This is the time to bear difficulties in community, finding joy from the presence of those we love by sharing new experiences in the home. To endure something difficult with another is one of the best ways to cultivate strong relationships, but it takes patience to be present and attentive. 

Back in 2008, when I was eleven years old , a rather historic ice storm hit New England. Everyone lost power, roads were blocked, houses damaged and many families suffered. At the time, my siblings and I rejoiced that we didn’t own a generator. Power outages were no fun with such contraptions. In the dark, we could light candles and use flashlights, cuddling up in blankets with books and ghost stories to help us survive. Our outlook was juvenile of course, and short lived as soon as we realized we couldn’t toast our pop tarts or eat a hot meal. Thankfully for us, our parents had their heads on straight and as soon as our lights flickered, we built our best attempt at a roaring fire in our aged, inefficient fireplace. When the power finally did go out, everyone slept in the living room by its blaze. My brother Max was about five months old at the time and I’ll never forget how my mom bundled him up inside a rather large baby doll carrier because it was the warmest portable bed we could find.  Hard times have a way of finding the creative in all of us.

While my parents probably look back with gratitude that this experience is over, I’ll always remember it fondly, especially that image of all of us sleeping by the hearth in the living room together. It sure wasn’t the comfort level of the Ritz Carlton but it brought us together in a new way and this is precisely what I love about the mid-winter. As dreary and colorless as it may be, the inconveniences of the season create circumstances that make us crave connection and community in a real way, spurring us to respond creatively. Wherever you are in this mid-winter season, I hope the cold draws you to find warmth from the presence of those closest to you, whether they be near or far. 

A Few Poems to Help Cure your Winter Blues: 

• This poem about ice skating by Gail Mazur which will bring back all your childhood memories of snow playing and the thrill of winter sports. 
• Read The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy for some touching reflection on hope amidst melancholy.
• For a brief reflection that will immediately make you want to cozy up with a good book, read this darling little poem by Emily Dickinson. 

Happy Wintering!