If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?

As a resident of New Jersey, we experience winter as a possibility from October through April. We've had snow on both Halloween and Easter. And while February, located somewhere in the middle of the typical "worst" weather, is the shortest month of the year, for me, it has often seemed unending.

Not that the month doesn't have its bright spots. My middle child was born in February. We came home from the hospital on a warm sunny day that really didn't require the way-too-big snowsuit I bundled her up with. The month has Valentine's Day - especially fun when my children were little, and now again with my six grandchildren and LOML. The celebration of President's Day usually provides me with a holiday from work, and Mardi Gras and the anticipation of Easter and Passover observances hold the promise of Spring. Dependent, of course, on when the Groundhog predicts.

Yet, in my house, February seemed to be the low point of the year in regard to resiliency and health. Flu seems to visit around this time, and one year it took my mother. So, the month contains a sad anniversary. It seems to have been the month of bronchitis and steam humidifiers, and as I grow older, some aches and pains that interrupt my sleep.

And this year, we are approaching the one year mark for many of the changes, such as working from home, that have been instituted during the pandemic. Zoom is the new work and family gathering spot, and houses, once mostly empty in the winter daylight, are filled with stay at home parents, home schooling children and pets who, at first ecstatic, are now waiting for the peace and quiet to return. And for those who are isolated, and unable to socialize with friends and family, the entire year seems to have painfully extended.

I've been honored to present virtual Laughter Breaks to lots of groups during this time and am looking forward to a bunch more lined up. I've added to my well-being tips, and have added the holiday Icelandic book reading idea as and every week special time. Tea, soft music, pillows, and a good book.

My hope is that all of you are finding those well-being habits that are helping you be resilient during this difficult time. Last Friday I received my second CoVid19 inoculation, and I am feeling hopeful that as we get closer to spring and summer we will be coming out of our winter dens, blinking at the warm sunlight, and hugging those we have been separated from.

Mindful Laughter Meditation you can do along, or with your family

Well-Being Tips at 30seconds.com