It is that time of year again. We get near the end of January and things become rather stuck. Let me explain.
First of all, although we are starting to notice the longer hours of daylight, we still have a number of weeks of very long nights. Sure it is over a month since we had the longest night, but it is still almost two months till spring. Many people are still going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.
Second we have had a week and a half of chinook like weather in Calgary, we know that winter is not done with us yet. There will be more snow storms and a few more cold snaps yet before spring finally arrives. Yesterday's near record high will soon be a memory. Spring is not here yet. The first robin and the first bud are a long way off yet.
It is that in between time when people wait for different things. People next week will be waiting to hear what the groundhog says, even though in Canada there is no such thing as an early spring. Followers of the lunar calendar are waiting to go to the year of Tiger. Football fans have the Superbowl to look forward to. Movie buffs are awaiting the Oscar nominations. Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day are a ways yet. And this year Easter is no where near.
I am not depressed. For I have come to these doldrum times before. I know that the years repeat in a cycle. Seeds will soon start popping through the earth. Birds will soon sing. The cycles of the year teach us patience. They will come. In the meantime we wait. Blessings.
