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Complaining about the weather is a New England tradition as treasured and time-honored as watching the Patriots in February, and not using turn signals. Democrat or Republican, Abe’s or Andymans, Tripolis or Cristy’s — one common gripe unites all factions: the weather sucks. 90 degrees and humid in July? Weather sucks. Snow-covered sidewalks in January? Weather sucks. But if the weather always sucks, why do we take such pride in being New Englanders?
It’s because deep down, we don’t actually hate our seasons. We just have a toxic relationship with them. The early days are all good vibes and butterflies, but it’s not long before annoying quirks become magnified, and the flaws so unignorable that our eyes start wandering to fresher pastures and more attractive temperatures.
In winter, we celebrate the first snowfall and revel in holiday lights and music. But once January hits, we’re over it. The snow isn’t magical anymore, it’s a nuisance. The cold isn’t an excuse to wear cozy sweaters and meet friends for espresso martinis, it’s an excuse to cancel plans and stay home.
Even summer falls victim to our short attention spans. We wait for it all year. We count down the days, and perennially promise ourselves that this summer will be the best of our lives. When it finally comes, we go to Beach Jams every Thursday, dine outside on State Street’s patios, and plan picnics in Maudslay. But by July 4th, summer’s lost its novelty. We start complaining about the bugs and humidity, retreat to our air-conditioned houses, and long for fall’s flannel shirts and chilly evenings. Before we know it, it’s been two months since our last Beach Jam.
We’re too quick to define a season by its flaws. Unlike other parts of the country, we’re lucky to have four distinct seasons that add varied color and flavor to our world. That’s especially important to remember when we wake up to 22 inches of snow, as we did last weekend. Sure, the snow creates inconveniences like slippery sidewalks – as well as real dangers that should always be considered — but it also blankets your day-to-day life in an entirely new, softer aesthetic. Snow days bring communities together in living rooms and local bars. They bring children together on sledding hills and frozen ponds. Walking past a stranger on the Rail Trail, both of you bundled up in snow gear, you’re more likely to exchange a smile, an unspoken acknowledgement that “yep, it’s cold. Our socks are damp. Our cheeks are numb. But we’re in this together.” Cold winters have a way of bringing out neighborly warmth.
A foot of snow on the sidewalk might be a pain, but it’s also fodder for snowballs and snowmen; it’s an opportunity to help a neighbor shovel or push their car out of a snowed-in parking spot. Hardship is part of winter. How we respond to that hardship shapes our experience in the world, and our relationships with each other. A freezing cold winter day isn’t an obstruction to life, it’s the essence of life.
Last year I visited Finland, a country that experiences 18 hours of darkness in the winter (and up to 24 hours in the north). I asked a woman there how Finns deal with the darkness. Her response surprised me.
“I find that I’m happier in winter, actually,” she said. “The darkness forces you to slow down and self-reflect. There’s not so much going on. We have time to read, and to organize our lives. Winter is for getting to know ourselves.”
As we enter the “I’m over it” phase of winter, I’d encourage everyone to enjoy the season as much as you can, while you still can. Before you know it, you’ll be swatting away Greenheads on Plum Island, wiping the sweat off your face, and longing for brisker temperatures.
That’s the beauty of a New England climate. We say it “sucks,” but we wouldn’t change a thing. It’s why we choose to live here and not in a semi-dystopian monoclimate like Florida.
Aren’t we lucky that it sucks in so many different ways?
Eben Diskin
Editor, The Townie
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