Oofda! I don’t know about you, but I am definitely feeling some winter blues after getting hit with our first two rounds of snowstorms.
Seasonal Affective Disorder aka “SAD” is something that affects thousands of people every year, especially for those of us who live in the Upper Midwest the winter can become particularly problematic.
I’ve been feeling the effects of SAD lately as we get less sunlight here and colder temps. It struck me today, “You know what? Other people are probably feeling this way, too”.
So, here’s my ode to Seasonal Affective Disorder/the winter weather:
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Yesterday was perfectly fine
The gentle wind blew in my face as I walked, hands by my side, exposed and bare, letting the heat from the sun radiate, trace love lines across my face, my body
Even the mosquitos couldn’t break my stride
All the pests of the evening sang together as if in a choir
Letting the world be perfectly harmonious
Today was terribly… not
The wind nearly whisked me away with it’s unforgiving force as I tried to simply walk to my car
In the dark
In the 14 degree weather
scraping, grinding, wailing, howling
begging my car to give me all its got
Tomorrow I have a feeling…
It might be the same.
How do we keep going? How do we stay sane?
I set out a signal before me, so even when I can’t feel it I can at least trick my mind into believing I am still held in warmth and light
I wrapped my legs and my arms in fleece, feeling more like a helpless babe than royalty
I let myself write
and decided sometimes it is okay to not be completely alright
And, in a few months, I’ll walk with bare naked hands,
and toes, face, and thighs
But until then, I’ll sing and sing the earth a tender lullaby
in the depths of the night
until it tilts back to a place where the crickets sing me to sleep
Knowing one morning I’ll awake in the soft stillness as the sun meets to kiss the skyline
and feel the ease of warmth
the calm of the promise of a day filled with sunlight
one week, or two, or three,
Or many more than I would like to count…
in the perfect harmony of summertime.
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Lastly, just wanted to share a few things I’ve found helpful for me in navigating SAD:
- Light Therapy –There’s some really good and affordable ones out there, click on this list for a few ideas!
- Exercise
- Writing (this blog!)
- Therapy (aka talking to a mental health professional)
Others find medication helpful, too. Make sure to talk to a medical professional in deciding what is best/right for you.
If you’re looking to just to get your mind off winter for awhile, get a good laugh, or hear from others facing depression, you won’t want to miss out on these podcasts:
Conan Needs a Friend podcast
The Moth Radio Hour podcast
The Hilarious World of Depression Podcast
Stay warm, friends!
Seeds of Hope 