THE PROMISE OF JANUARY
For me, January symbolizes the beginning of things--wide open with promise, gentle and quiet. Life slips into an immediate and dramatic pause from the high activity of the Christmas season and general over-indulgences of New Years Day. Hubby returns to full-day work weeks, children are back to school, and my thoughts are anxious and ready to settle into the challenge of serious brain work.
Even from the first appearances of autumn, when the future things of winter have commenced to accumulate -- pockets of fallen leaves missed by the rake, scattered pine cones, nippy temps oh so stealthily creeping -- hubby begins singing whining his yearly lament, the lines of which never vary from "I hate the winter, I despise the cold," grumble, grumble, bitch, moan.
For several years I made great effort to extol argue the joys of winter, when the frenetic activity inherent of warmer months is eased into a restful lull, bringing a settling sense of peace to a world forever reluctant to slowdown and simply breathe now and again.
Nevertheless, despite my extravagant winter cheerleading sessions, I have never actually succeeded in adjusting his opinion, so I leave him to grumble, while I pile-on extra layers to ward off the perpetual chill iceberg forming cold in our 133 year old, un-insulated house. Settling in before my keyboard with a heating pad tucked up underneath my eskimo uniform, (and thank you, Cathy, for this excellent tip!) a perpetually warming cup of caffeinated brew, blessedly free of the nagging duties and pressing urgency that define the warmer months (lawn mowing, weed pulling, exterior house maintenance...)
The days lay wide open and glorious with clear white space. They fill quietly--these blissfully gentle afternoons that darken early and yawn empty. With any luck we'll even have snow...
Posted by Barbara Forte Abate at 1/4/2012 9:04 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: january time of year so sharp and clear laid bare and lovely so under appreciated the beginning of things gentle and quiet life slips immediate and dramatic pause Christmas season over indulgences of new years day full time work children back at school challenge of serious brain work appearances of autumn things of winter yearly lament hate the winter despise the cold settling sense of peace restful lull frenetic activity reluctant to slowdown breathe now and again cheer leading sessions perpetual chill uninsulated house iceberg cold caffeinated brew free from nagging duties house maintenance clear white space snow
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: january time of year so sharp and clear laid bare and lovely so under appreciated the beginning of things gentle and quiet life slips immediate and dramatic pause Christmas season over indulgences of new years day full time work children back at school challenge of serious brain work appearances of autumn things of winter yearly lament hate the winter despise the cold settling sense of peace restful lull frenetic activity reluctant to slowdown breathe now and again cheer leading sessions perpetual chill uninsulated house iceberg cold caffeinated brew free from nagging duties house maintenance clear white space snow
Loved it!
I was born in warmer climates so I've spent the majority of my life bemoaning the winter dreariness. However, as I read "Hubby returns to full-day work weeks, children are back to school" and think about the pictures I've taken lately of iced-over weeping willow trees, I had to agree with your conception of beauty. I even quit complaining about my beagle whose insecurity keeps her in a perpetual state of shadowing me wherever I go, especially during winter.
I continue to go barefoot despite that it's January. It's a held-over habit from my California childhood days but now that insecure pup is sleeping under my desk. She sleeps so hard that she doesn't mind that I've shoved my cold toes under her tummy. Her loud snoring is consistent but out of beat with the intermittent furnace blowing off and on. It's an odd symphony that I'll miss when summer temps leave me feeling limp.
So thanks, Barb, for loving January. Maybe we can all see it a little better....through your eyes!
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What a perfectly wonderful and wintry image you've created here, Rebekah! The barefoot in winter thing definitely marks you as a California girl. My bare soles won't touch the floor until April at the earliest
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Do you have any winter pics? Would love to see what it looks like out there!
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Sadly, unlike January 2011, which was lovely and white (very deep white!) we haven't had any "pretty" winter days here yet. It feels so unfair to pass the days wrapped in four layers of clothing with nary a white flake in sight. Thus no photos as I continue to stuff wood into the fireplace 24/7 and wait not so patiently for a fine winter storm.
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