For many of us when the seasons change, so does our moods. Have you ever noticed how sunny weather makes us happier and winter makes us just a tad bit sadder? The main reason might seem pretty obvious, one season is brighter than the other and we are more comfortable going outside during the summer time than we are in winter. Playing outside or just being outdoors in warm and sunny weather can instantly put us in a good mood. However, it is also tied in to the emotions that we have attached to the seasons and the experiences we have had in the past during that season.
Special Memories
Those experiences and special memories that we have attached to the seasons or moments in our lives tend to stay with us even as we grow older. One such experience for me happened a few springs ago in Japan. Summer for me is usually a time to reminisce because the shortness of summer reminds me to relish the joy it brings. It is therefore not surprising to me that I am recalling this moment. It is also fitting for this month’s theme of throwback travel and Japan.
The Moment
Spring, though it was a new concept to my Jamaican sensibility at the time is one of the best things I have experienced outside my home country. The bright colours of the flowers, the lovely smell of the air, the feel of the cool breeze against my skin, and the bright but pleasing sun shining over everything. This is what makes the horrible months of winter all worth it. So you can imagine my disappointment when I awoke that Sunday morning, during spring, to a brewing snow storm outside my window. I had some really unkind words for winter. How selfish and greedy it was. It had more than four months already and still it wanted more. How could it have been wonderful picnic worthy weather yesterday and then heavy snow the next? Was it just Japan playing a nasty trick on me?
So I went to a traveler’s best friend in times of worry, the internet. Apparently, it wasn’t only Japan experiencing this strange weather. It was a worldwide situation. Some parts of China were still getting only snow. In the US there were also some areas where it snowed that very weekend. And to prove the validity of the old adage, 'misery likes company', I felt instantly better. Thank God, it wasn’t only me. I also read that it wasn’t odd to have snow in spring. It was however a colder than usual spring that year.
Armed with the memory of how hot summer was last year and the knowledge that spring lasts only for a moment, I decided to take a walk. I sometimes forget how beautiful the snow can be and that day it was especially gorgeous. Maybe it was how out of place it seemed, like an awkward kid standing uncomfortably in the playground of a new school. Or maybe it was the anomaly of the pink, snow covered cherry blossoms that warmed my heart. Or maybe it was the thought of all that wasted energy, spent being angry at winter. I don’t know. But for whatever the reason, I felt a moment of peace as I walked along the white path, lined with rainbow colored flowers all peeping out of the ground with snow peaked hats. Unfortunately, by the end of my walk it had started to rain and in only a matter of minutes my surprising and beautiful snow had melted away. This made me think of how rarely we get the opportunity to say goodbye, and rarer still a chance to change an enemy into a friend or even enjoy the moment.
The Lesson
We are living in a precarious time that teaches us everyday how quickly things can change. Let's enjoy the good things while we can. Season change but each have their strong point. Lets hold on to the good memories and let go of what we can of the bad ones, regardless of the season. Share with us in the comments some ways that we can live in the moment and enjoy the little things.
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