It’s cold outside…but there’s so much to enjoy!

Here we are in January…that was quick! A lot of students (and others) are not entirely thrilled with January. Christmas is over and school days are back. Just when we were getting used to sleeping in, having no homework, and hanging out with friends, it’s back to reality. The short and often gray days don’t help either.

But never underestimate the power of routine. A routine may seem boring, but often the opposite is true. We are creatures of habit, as they say, and daily routines, as opposed to unstructured days, can be comforting.

School and work aren’t the only routines people need. For children, extracurricular activities are crucial. In wintertime, it’s important to continue (or kick off) some type of physical activity, whether it’s an organized sports team, running, fencing, hiking, dance, or any one of the many options. There is no downside to getting out and getting exercise.

Other activities like visual and performing arts, school clubs, scouting and volunteering are great extracurriculars as well. Despite the germ-fest that comes with winter, human interaction and happiness go hand-in-hand. And routines and activities keep everyone happy and healthy.

And let’s not forget the other advantages of winter: cozy fires and blankets, warm sweaters and coats, comforting food and drink (soup, pot pie and hot cocoa come to mind) that somehow taste better when it’s cold out. And if you’re a fan, there’s basketball season. Even those who don’t like cold weather can be grateful to live as far south as Georgia. In fact, people who live in North Dakota would probably find this blog post amusing (and wimpy).

Finally, we can’t forget the joys of those rare, but exciting and highly anticipated days of, well, some form of frozen precipitation. Such days come oh so infrequently—not even each year. But when they do come, it is a big deal. There’s the mass rush to the store for milk and bread, sort of like squirrels stocking up for the winter. Students (and teachers, and administration!) stay glued to the TV or radio, hoping for school to be closed. Let’s face it, a day off due to inclement weather is more exciting than a scheduled day off. Maybe it’s simply the element of surprise.

So, should one of those rare days come this winter, think of it as a blessing. Everyone should have the experience of making a snowman and snow angel and having a snowball fight. Forget transportation problems, plant damage and snow tracked through the house. If this winter brings a rare “snow day,” and you are inside in front of a cozy fire watching snow fall, think about what truly amazing gifts from God both snow and each season are.

And if that doesn’t cheer you up, remember that spring will arrive before you know it.