M.J. Abell Farm

Ah, winter. My least favorite time of year.
It’s cold. It’s gray. It’s usually not pretty. I’m usually trapped in the house. And did I mention it’s cold?

Generally, I like to be outside, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my skin as I dig in the dirt or lounge on the beach or by the river (or my parents’ pool). I love to see the flowers in all their glory, hear the bees buzzing and the leaves rustling in the breezes, and the waves crashing & seagulls calling when I’m at the beach. I look forward to the scent of rain in the air and the sound of thunder in the distance as the humidity climbs higher, to the point where it finally erupts in a torrential downpour that I can hear so clearly on the metal roof of our house.
Winter, though…ugh. For years it has loomed in the distance of my daydreams of summer as this big, hulking, ugly, dreadful time to simply be endured, mostly because of the reasons previously mentioned, but also because of how dry it becomes indoors and all the effects of that (dry, itchy skin; nosebleeds; sore throats for no reason other than no humidity). But this year, I’m finding an odd satisfaction in winter…almost like I need it.

As most of you know, I teach at a local high school in my area. My district was fortunate enough to have 2 full weeks off for Christmas break, which was wonderful. But then, we were hit with a pretty substantial amount of snow and had an additional week (4 days) off. I did not know how much I needed that 3 weeks to just relax and recharge and enjoy being at home until I had it.

I’m more of an introvert than extrovert, so I’m sure you can imagine how draining teaching is day in and day out. Some days, I feel like I’m a circus clown and my only duty is to entertain teenagers and compete with their phones and social media apps. I get up in the dark, and sometimes come home either shortly before or in the dark. There is little energy left in my body and mind at the end of the day for much of my household responsibilities.
For 3 weeks, though, I got to experience life the way it should be: sleeping until my body woke me up; organizing a little here and a little there until the stress response noticeably lessened; doing what I wanted to do with my day after my responsibilities were tended to, with energy to spare.

I’m convinced that we are supposed to use winter as a time to recharge our “batteries” so that we can be ready and able to face the rest of the year, tapping into our energy stores that we’ve worked to build up during that season. I’m also convinced that home is where I’m supposed to be, making a home for my husband and kids, caring for them all–not spending 40 hours a week with other people’s children while mine go off to spend 40 hours with other adults who don’t always have their best interest at heart.

Mike and I are looking for ways to make this happen. I’ll keep you posted on the progress and any new or promising developments. Until then, I’m going to sit here and read, and enjoy the snow falling outside my window…and pray for another week at home.