On a recent airplane trip, I told a woman from Atlanta that it has been crazy warm and dry in Salt Lake this winter. "It's terrible," I said. "We're all bummed out." She looked at me like I was crazy. "That's bad? Why is that bad?" And I didn't know what to say. I was so taken aback by her response, but it made me reflect on my own skewed perspective. For me, winter is good in kind of the same way that sleep is good. Maybe sleep doesn't contribute directly to the things I do in my life, but I can't do anything in life without sleep. Winter gives us cold, and quiet, and in the West it gives us our most important water reservoirs in mountain snowpacks. Winter is rest and recovery and patience before action and movement and busy-ness the rest of the year. You don't have to enjoy it, but it seems obvious to me that we all need winter to exist. But I come from a specific background focused on mountains and environment that I guess is not common.
Loved the debate format here. The whimsical rituals point is spot on, sometimes meaningless tradition is exactly what makes life interesting. That sleep/winter analogy from Dakota was really smart too. I grew up in a place with all four seasons and now live somwhere its basically eternal spring, honestly miss having that forced rest period even if I complained about it at the time.
On a recent airplane trip, I told a woman from Atlanta that it has been crazy warm and dry in Salt Lake this winter. "It's terrible," I said. "We're all bummed out." She looked at me like I was crazy. "That's bad? Why is that bad?" And I didn't know what to say. I was so taken aback by her response, but it made me reflect on my own skewed perspective. For me, winter is good in kind of the same way that sleep is good. Maybe sleep doesn't contribute directly to the things I do in my life, but I can't do anything in life without sleep. Winter gives us cold, and quiet, and in the West it gives us our most important water reservoirs in mountain snowpacks. Winter is rest and recovery and patience before action and movement and busy-ness the rest of the year. You don't have to enjoy it, but it seems obvious to me that we all need winter to exist. But I come from a specific background focused on mountains and environment that I guess is not common.
mostly yes, sometimes no
I love winter. I love a sweater, I love to bundle up, and I love to be cozy. This winter with no cold weather is breaking my heart!
Loved the debate format here. The whimsical rituals point is spot on, sometimes meaningless tradition is exactly what makes life interesting. That sleep/winter analogy from Dakota was really smart too. I grew up in a place with all four seasons and now live somwhere its basically eternal spring, honestly miss having that forced rest period even if I complained about it at the time.
Boo winter, especially with no snow!
yes
I used to not mind winter, but now I do in fact mind it. I mind it a lot.