As Another Winter Approaches

The thermometer doesn’t lie.  This morning, as I went out to make the coffee, the temperature was registering twenty-four degrees here in the beautiful Hudson Valley.  As another winter approaches, we can wallow in our dislike for the cold and shorter days, or we can embrace the beauty of the season.  As you might have guessed, I’m in favor of looking at the bright side of this annual occurrence.  While it’s easy for most people to get through the holidays, many people don’t look forward to what comes afterwards.  The festive Thanksgiving Day celebration turns into a sometimes-manic preparation for Christmas with travel plans and shopping dominating the calendar.  I would just like to offer a friendly reminder that you are the one who controls your calendar and the pace of your life.  There are a few things that six or seven decades (or more) of living can give you and that is the wisdom of seeing what’s important in life.

My favorite story of all time is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  I first discovered it by choosing it for a book report because it was so short.  But, as I went through the pages, something truly wonderful happened and it may be the first time I identified so strongly with an author and the message being shared through a story that never seems to get old.  Indeed, watching any of the many versions of this story is one of the things we do as a family, and I make it a point to read the story every year.  It is a great way to rediscover what’s truly important in your life.  You can be absolutely certain that, as another winter approaches, that book will be opened again to remind me about how thankful I should be to have had the wonderful life that I’ve had and to be sure to share what we have with others who are less fortunate.  With the dawn of a new year coming right behind this joyous holiday, it’s also the traditional time to lay out our goals for the coming year.  I have to say that the process of goal setting seemed to be more important in my younger days but it’s still worthwhile to plan out your year so that you can maximize the pleasures of retirement.

As another winter approaches, many people look for an escape to warmer weather.

Escaping the cold is a priority for many and we have been fortunate to travel during the colder months to places that are much warmer than our little valley.  It has been something we have been able to do since I retired from the world of Corporate America.  As we take down the Christmas decorations, it’s nice to know that we have warmer temperatures in our future.  It can bring a smile to your face as another winter approaches and you know you’re headed for beaches and palm trees.  Beginning with Thanksgiving and all through Christmas and New Year’s, this is a time to be thankful for how fortunate we are to have been able to live our lives to the fullest.  While it easy to focus on the wars and other craziness in the world, there is nothing wrong with taking the time to be thankful for what you have.

While we are part of the group that is referred to as snowbirds, there are others who stay in place and thrive in the cold and snowy weather.  Up in the Adirondack Mountains, there are ice festivals and other winter activities that are truly amazing.  They not only find a way to get through the cold weather, but they also fully embrace it.  As another winter approaches, the ski lodges will be booked to capacity and the slopes will be full of people who would rather have a snowball fight than build sandcastles and that is absolutely wonderful.  That’s what makes this world such an incredible place to live and, the more you travel, the more you realize how almost every location has its own incredible magic that needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Our journey through Norway showed us how the entire country seemed to come alive as the snow fell and the train stations were filled with people rushing off to the mountains with their skis.

As another winter approaches, I hope you’re able to look at it with a sense of appreciation and anticipation of another year to come.  It’s a great time to start a journal of appreciation and to realize everything this world has to offer.  Why not take in an Ice Festival or two, or perhaps learn how to master the perfect hot chocolate, mulled wine or hot cider? It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!

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