“For real ? “ Words spoken ever so sweetly and curiously by my 4.5 year old. This time I’m the one asking “For, real?’ Could winter really be here? It’s November. Saying I’m reluctant to welcome winter would be an understatement. I’m not usually one to get down on the weather or nature or cycles, but I’ve literally been stopping fellow parents in the school hallway to check in and see if it’s just me. I mean of course it’s not just me, but still…I need some reassurance or some way through.

Some, of the parents/friends I stopped seemed equally dismayed or unprepared and yet the odd few seemed to be stoked. I loved hearing from those people because I could recognize myself in them, only that self is barely recognizable, at least right now. Weighing heavily on my dismay is this thought really, “Oh man we really have messed this up, haven’t we? Climate change. Climate in crises. And “Oh man, winter with my 2 young boys, am I ready ? “And for 6 months ? That’s what the store clerk at the hardware store reminded me of yesterday. “Yes, 6 months of this” she said to me with a neutral tone. I was looking for reassurance from her too, no such luck! She did give me perspective, however.

⭐️So here’s to the light and the love and the joy my dog announces to me when we go outside and the delight in my kids being themselves, beautiful as they are, and playing in the gorgeous white snow. Here’s to being responsible to this precious planet and taking good care of our individual selves, as seasons change, unprecedented climate change happens, and as responsibilities to our kids and others change and evolve. Here’s to being with it all. It’s a practice (for me anyway).

I’m going to take my dog out for another walk and see if some of her light heartedness can rub off on me, in the snow of course.

Cheers to you, to us, to this planet.