So how did your Blue Monday go? Not
surprisingly, and true to form for me, I had a pretty good day. You know, I’ve always
had a problem with being told what to do. If I hadn’t been told that Monday
January 18th was mathematically proven to be the most depressing day
of the year, thus Blue Monday, chances are I would have been pretty gloomy,
too, with it being a Monday, after all, and colder than a ……….you pick one…..out
there and I’m still driving to work in the dark and it’s a Saskatchewan January
and…
But
you know what? When the sun did start to come up over the horizon it revealed
the most beautiful, colourful sunrise and there was fresh hoar frost on the
trees adding more beauty to the scenery and even with the “Extreme Cold Warning”
flashing across the Weather Network screen there was very little wind to speak
of making it a decent enough day for the middle of January in Saskatchewan.
Just because I
don’t really like the cold weather doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the beauty
that this time of year can bring and although it wasn’t a beach along the Caribbean Sea with a blazing sun and a cold beverage
within arms reach it wasn’t the coldest place on the planet either. This time.
It’s
pretty hard not to get sucked into the post-Christmas Winter Blues anyway, let
alone have it reinforced in us by a mathematician who’s got way too much time
on his hands to be figuring out a mathematical equation to pinpoint exactly
when the majority of people are reaching their lowest point in this too-long
winter. I’m thinking most of us would have gotten there without being told the
exact date.
I
do not mean to diminish the true effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder, (SAD),
the clinical definition of Winter Blues, because it is a clinically proven
mental health issue and one cannot just “attitude” depression and anxiety away,
regardless of the cause. That said, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to be as
positive as possible whenever we can.
Oil
is under $30 a barrel, the loonie’s tanking and every news channel’s got their
economic scare tactics going in full bloom. Again, I do not want to take away
from the economic downturn and its life-altering side effects but do we need to
talk about it ad nauseum? How about refocusing a little attention on a solution
instead of whining about the problem? But that’s maybe something else that
cannot be “attitude adjusted”.
But,
hey, we’re gaining a couple of minutes of sunlight every day and the worst day
is already behind us, if we believe the mathematician, and despite a couple of
cold spells this winter hasn’t been nearly as cold as last winter’s version.
Thank you El Nino.
The
economic situation has made many people rethink their priorities, too, and
“Stay-cations” are being considered over the usual “Hot Holiday” destinations.
That might not be a bad thing for Canadian tourism and its spinoff economic
benefits. I saw a report that said that many Canadian winter sport resorts are
enjoying their best year ever. Keeping some money at home can’t be all that bad,
don’t you think?
Thankfully Blue Monday is fading from our
memory and it’s time to move forward with hope and faith. The year’s still
young. There’s a lot to look forward to and nowhere to go but up.
“Every day may not be good…but there’s
something good in every day.”-Alice Morse Earle (1851-1911).
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