Sunday, January 3, 2021

Rosedale, Toronto

 

The Good About Winter

 

I don’t do too well with complainers. Covid is fueling them big time these days. Another cause for the current griping is the weather. A lot of people just don’t like winter. Winter, with Covid slapped on top of it, makes it “the winter of our discontent.” That’s a quote from Richard the 3rd, by William Shakespeare. One of my very favourite literary geniuses is John Steinbeck who authored, “East of Eden,” “Grapes of Wrath” and “Of Mice and Men.” His last novel was titled after the famous line, “The Winter of Our Discontent.”

 

I delivered two classes today, by Zoom. One for Vancouver and another for Toronto, to counter the winter blues syndrome. We know the weather is frigid, the traffic is hazardous, the bills go high and income is lowest, but under the topic “The Good About Winter” we had a chance to have a second look at winter.

 

In India the four months of the rainy season is the time for inner reflection. Our winter, in the north, is introspective time. Travel is more restrictive. It really does draw a parallel, in a way. December to April Fools; it’s no joke.

 

Let’s take some quotes about winter:

 

“Winter is the season of recovery and preparation.” Paul Theroux

 

“The colour of springtime is the flowers. The colour of winter is in the imagination.” Terri Guillemets.

 

“In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.” William Blake

 

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire; it is the time for home.” Edith Sitwell

 

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”” Lewis Carrol

 

Be a winter optimist.

 

May the source be with you!

4 km