I am not one of those people who enjoy the variation of seasons. My ideal climate exists somewhere between 70 and 85 degrees -- Fahrenheit of course. I have yet to don my coat as I walk to class, preferring a slightly cooler walk to a bulkier one. I have nothing against multiple layers; I truly prefer wearing a T-shirt and pair of shorts as opposed to jeans, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt and a jacket. With the change of seasons normally come a slew of other variations I tend to misunderstand. For example, seasonal colors: I have never been able to tell the difference between a fall color and a winter color; I wear white at all times of the year and have been known to wear lightly colored jeans in winter.
The climate change also carries with it a certain level of sickness, as I usually come down with some sort of ailment during the temperature drop. This can go from a simple sinus headache to lethargy to a full cold, and it happens every year around this time. The cold weather can also be blamed for an adjustment to my attitude. I tend to feel much more temperamental with the temperature change, my emotions hitting their extremes as I cope with numbness in my fingers, ears, toes and nose.
Though it may seem as though the weather change only brings grief to my life, I must admit I am not totally against fall and winter. I delight in many of the events that take place during these cold months ahead.
My favorite holiday just passed and with it another billion or so turkeys. Thanksgiving is a time of rest and relaxation, one in which I can fully participate. My family operates on a three-year rotational system, going to Illinois, Atlanta and my house respectively. We spent this last Thanksgiving in Atlanta -- the weather was colder than usual, but the food was still delicious, and our time was spent enjoying the fireplace and each other. I've never been able to determine what about this particular holiday gives me such pleasure, but just thinking about Thanksgiving makes me feel warm and cozy inside.
The upcoming holiday season brings with it a vat of commercialism and consumerism that can be unbearable, if not treated properly. As the years go by, I enjoy Christmas for the non-material things more and more. I enjoy the songs (carols if you will), the snow (pretty to look at, that is about it), the Christmas Eve mass and the overwhelming feeling of joy present in so many peoples' hearts. If companies could bottle up the bliss most people express during this season, Tickle Me Elmo would lose its position as figurehead of most-sought-after-commodity.
'Giving' becomes the word of the day for a week straight and adults (children not so much) become less greedy and more inclined to help their fellow man. Every year, Rudolph's nose shines bright, Frosty loses his magic, the Grinch steals a little more, Scrooge becomes enlightened and we all put aside our troubles to enjoy one another and remember the fundamentals of being human.
But this season only lasts for a short while, and then everyone is back to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, until New Year's, when the world stops turning so fast once more and people reflect on how to better themselves, others or their community.
After New Year's, people go back to work energized for the year ahead and are confronted with minor holidays, such as Valentine's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day and St. Patrick's Day. These holidays elicit images of love, luck and the influence of great people.
Conscious of all my blessings and thankful for all I have (even in the cold), holidays force me to reflect on how I might improve not only my life, but also the lives of the people around me. Whether they are in my immediate family or are complete strangers, I know that my responsibility is twofold -- to others and myself. We do not always think about what we can be grateful for and instead focus on what we lack, a habit that most people are guilty of, myself included. But this holiday season, I implore you to reach out and help someone new, become the person about whom books are written and movies are made, appreciate the little things and settle for nothing less than love.
Ian's column runs biweekly Fridays. He can be reached at ismith@cavalierdaily.com.
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