As Winter steps up and takes its place in the year, the sun yields to a shortened schedule and finds itself helplessly pressed into small hours. During this transition, we the citizens of the city that’s dark at 4 pm, become tired early and forced to obey the new schedule, which grows ever more depressing by the year. For those who are affected more than others by this, I’m sorry. I feel you.
According to Psychology Today, “Seasonal Affective Disorder is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. Another 10-20% may have mild SAD.” During these next few months, we suffer from Vitamin D deprivation, often resulting in 8 pm bedtimes and a lack of motivation to pursue life with the same energy as of July. We become drifters, floating through days guided by stoplights and to-do lists. We search for patches of sunlight and blue skies, which only become more scattered as the winter days pass.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the season has its perks. Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, the holiday break is a perfect opportunity to spend intentional time with loved ones. The month of December tends to be busy and rushed, but the break freely provides a breath of relief. It’s also the only season when endless cups of hot cocoa and pajama movie days are completely justified and even necessary. Not to mention, a whole new set of activities is made accessible for those who love the outdoors. There’s ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, and, of course, sledding. Another activity provided by winter, personally one of my favorites, is to get in a car with lots of friends or family and go for a Christmas lights drive. We can’t deny that North Dakota knows how to do early winter sunrises, painting the sky with pinks that know how to take your breath away. I will always love the sight of fresh snow falling under street lamps.
The icy indoor months also offer down time to recognize the transition between years. December provides the opportunity to reflect on the past year as it comes to a close, and January gives us an excuse to begin what we already know we should be doing. Winter allows for recognition of change more than any other time of year.
So, while we march through the winter months in puffy jackets and fuzzy boots, we can’t forget to take advantage of the small moments they silently provide for us. Although I tend to complain whenever this season rolls around, I’m glad to live in a place where snow falls and forces you to appreciate the warmth that the walls of your home provide. For the next few months, I’ll take my Vitamin D supplements and search for sun wherever it can be found. Someday, it’ll return and apologize for its months of leave, but until then, we’ll hug our families, catch snowflakes on our tongues, write our resolutions, and make the best of the white-blanket world that falls around us.