For many of us, it starts around the beginning of November. It's that cold, damp, feeling that enters your bones and does not want to let go. And, it seems to get worse as we get older. It's almost like winter has a claim on us. We yearn for the warmth of a fire and a hot bowl of soup. But sometimes, a hot bowl of soup is not enough. We look for hot coffee, tea, chocolate, and our favorite alcohol. All of these remedies have a temporary effect. When they wear off, as they always do, winter still has its icy grip on our bones. Is this all about how physically old we feel at the unset of winter or is it something else; I believe it is.
As we approach the winter of our lives, we start to look back on our life and wonder if we could have done better. We silently sit before the fire and ask ourselves probing questions, and at times, we are not pleased with the answers.
We question our courage. Did I do the right thing? Did I hold to that truth within my heart? Did I have the discipline to push myself to stand my ground and have the perseverance to achieve my goals? Did I live the life I believe in? Or did I quit?
Did I live in fidelity with that truth, my family, and my friends? Was I industrious enough to be as self-reliant as possible and have a feeling of personal honor? All of us ask these questions in one form or another. We do this, I believe, because we abhor failure. It is like our conscious will not leave us alone.
It can be called a gut check. As we approach the winter of our lives, it's just something that we do; our higher selves seem to force it on us, as if it was some sort of precursor to the future. For my younger readers, this is something to look forward to, not in dread, but in grateful expectation. Just because you have some decades under your belt does not mean that your life is over; far from it. Age has its experience and experience leads to wisdom. Just because there is snow on the roof-top, do not discount the fire that still brightly burns inside.
Copyright @2013 Terry Unger
