First, I want to be clear; I’ve never been fond of cold weather. It didn’t help that my Southern birthplace, and childhood home, was New Orleans, Louisiana, a place where severe winters are rare. On the rare occasion that it did snow, I was the only sibling who refused to go outside. I was totally uninterested in building snowmen or otherwise voluntarily being out in the cold. If the temperatures dropped into the 60’s, I was the first to grab sweaters, gloves, hats, and other winter attire. Time has done nothing to change my mind.

In the late 90’s, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. The symptoms of the condition are varied, but body-wide pain and muscle tension, resulting in chronic pain, extreme fatigue, insomnia, and cognitive deficiencies are among them. In my case, the 24/7 chronic pain forced me to stop actively practicing law some years ago.

I am never without pain, and winter and cold weather are insidious enemies to my body. The thing is that try as I might, I can never warm from the cold, and it prevents me from relaxing my muscles. As a result, they remain in a constant state of tension and stress causing increased daily pain. Nevertheless, as with anything, I believe that there is gratitude to be had in almost situations.

With that said, these are the seven things that make me appreciate the Winter season:

• cold weather attire, especially my favorite, boots

• soft, fannel pajamas

• sitting in front of a roaring fire

• the heated seat in my car

• sitting around our outdoor fire pit with family and friends to stay warm on a cold Winter’s night

• hibernating snakes because they live in our area, and, irrational or not, I am terrified of them, and

• of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas

So, although it is not officially Winter, Lydia’s Winter has arrived. As a result, Spring/Summer clothes are being stored to make room for all of my sweaters, winter hats, cold weather ponchos and coats, and most importantly, a light wool brown scarf that belonged to my long deceased baby brother. When I wear the scarf, I feel so close to him. Also, as a serious boot lover, I am already searching for the yearly pair of boots that I buy to add to my boot collection.

Whether you enjoy Winter or not, I’d love to hear one or more things that you like about the season, as well as any favorite memories that warm your heart about the Winter season.