I am living right in the middle of my favorite time of the year! September and October have passed, like a thief in the night, and November is well under way. It is 48 degrees…but it feels like 46, and a steady rain is coming down. I am one of those peculiar folks who enjoy rain and cool, or chilly weather, and the long nights of autumn and winter. As Jonathon said, the other day, that I was the only person that he knew that liked it getting dark so early! I have surrendered that I am a creature of the night.
I blame my love of the dark and the night on my having worked at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale on either the second or third shifts for almost 20 years. I became accustomed to the soothing flow of less people and the quiet of the night.
Rain is a panacea for me. The rhythmic sound of the drops striking the window pane are musical. The quieting of nature and the settling down of the earth for its winter’s rest is a needed respite to the hustle and bustle of life.
However, rain and long nights and cold temperatures affect many of us in an adverse fashion. ‘Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder subset in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year, most commonly in winter. Common symptoms include sleeping too much, having little to no energy, and overeating.’ Wikipedia
Life brings us metaphorical, fall rains…as well. Disappointments come to us all…and at times it seems that they come much too often. It has always seemed to me that employers, and often large ones, seem to lay off employees in conjunction with the holidays. At the time of year that both the media and our friends and neighbors tell us should be, ‘the most wonderful time of the year.’…often sadness is our companion. Challenges range from, health issues…to the loss of a loved one…to financial and employment reversals. It is alright to feel sad…sadness is a normal emotion. It is perfectly appropriate to ask when you’re, big break, is going to arrive. It is therapeutic to talk to your missing loved one…and tell them how much you loved them and miss them during the holiday season.
One size does not fit all. Men need to cry just like women.
Eeyore the donkey in the story of Winnie the Pooh was clinically depressed…but Winnie and Tigger and the rest of the gang…never left him out of their festivities in The Hundred Acre Wood…they loved Eeyore…for himself! He was their friend.
Note: Photos of Eeyore are courtesy of Google Search.
The Happy Traveler 