It Feels Good
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Life Learning Today programming to bring you a little winter reverie.
I went for a walk today. Cold winter air was biting my cheeks, watering my eyes, and taking my breath away. But I was loving it. You see, that cold crisp air was delivering a steady stream of fond cold weather memories. I’ll share a few fleeting glimpses with you today. I hope it spurs you daydream about your most cherished winter memories the next time you take a step out into the cold.
Cold Air Memories
…running like crazy to be the first one down the hill at the golf course on a snow day when I was 10. And then running back up that hill each time with no thought of it being difficult, but just a singular focus on the next thrill to come.
…a first kiss under the bleachers at a night football game. On that night the cold had no power to touch me.
…finishing a cross-country ski workout in college, the sun long since set, breathing heavily in the completely still and frozen air. The moon was rising over the tops of the trees bigger than I’ve ever seen it. What an incredible sense of peace.
…walking home late at night across campus from a party, the false warmth from alcohol blocking the cold air’s icy fingers from stinging me, reveling in the immense and daunting starry winter sky.
…ringing in the New Year on First Night in Boston with my brother, sisters, and brother-in-law being totally goofy, pretending that we were a dance troupe called “Liquid Emotion.” We gave many impromptu dance shows over the course of the night to keep warm. I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so much in my life as that night.
There are so many more, but I’m hoping that I can turn the reins over to you now to share your favorite cold weather memories. OK, it’s your turn…click on comments to take the reins!
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Brett McKay | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
My favorite cold weather memories are bundling up with my wife in sleeping bag on a camping trip in the Ozark Mountains.
Cold weather also brings back memories of warming myself next to a single burner propane stove when I was a missionary in Tijuana.
Leo | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Well, being from Guam, out here in the tropics, my cold weather memories are pretty limited. But I have some cool memories of snow in the mountains on the west coast, hail in Seattle when I was a kid (didn’t know what hail was at that time), and biting cold wind cutting through my jacket and clothes in San Francisco. Those are all good memories, btw.
agentsully | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Mmm. I can picture and feel both of your stories Leo and Brett. Thanks for joining in the winter fun.
Deborah | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Tobogganing. In Canada winters can be long, complete with chill-to-the-bone temps and several feet of snow. Boredom sets in quickly.
A ravine runs through the heart of the city where I live that has been designated as parkland. The hills in the ravine aren’t much more than 50 to 100 feet down, but they’re steep.
As a kid, many of us would go tobogganing down the ravine for the rush the few seconds gave us to come crashing to the bottom below, then drudge through the snow, sweating as we went along in our parkas to arrive at the top to do it all over again.
The longest toboggans were the envy of all. The fun was to pile as many kids as could fit to barrel our way down.
Lodewijkvdb | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Loads of winter memories here:
Ice skating as a kid on ponds until the blisters were all over my feet.
Building snowmen with my brothers and sister.
Alpine skiing with my parents in Switzerland.
Waking up to a world so white, and everything covered in a blanket of snow a meter deep. Digging out the car. Three days in a row!
Gluhwein at an icebar outdoors.
Riding a bicycle on new years eve to get to the pubs in town, with my girlfriend on the back, at -20 degrees celcius (-4 Fahrenheit). Stopping at every possibility to get warm again.
I love the winter!
Thanks…this was fun
Personal Development for the Book Smart | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Love the pics!
Urbanist | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Wow, there really is nothing like images … and somehow colors within images … to trigger memories
agentsully | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
@Deborah - that’s so awesome. You had me on the toboggan too. I can’t wait for it to snow here to go sledding this year!
@Lodewijk- isn’t it amazing how those crazy things we’ve done create such great lasting memories?
@Personal Development - thanks!
@WebUrbanist - I totally agree with you. It was fun finding the pics. They are link back to the original on flickr.
digitalnomad | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Agent is that you? I used to like winter, but now I prefer a tropical and breezy beach, and the windward side of the island.
Spring skiing in Utah and California is a gas and ranks right up there on my fun meter with SCUBA diving in the Caribbean.
Tina Su - Think Simple Now | Dec 6, 2007 | Reply
One of my favorite winter memories happened this past weekend. I live in Seattle where it almost never snows (pretty much rain all the time).. and this past Saturday there was a big snow storm. We saw the snow, got all bundled up and went outside with our little dog (who wore a little red-black checkered jacket). The snow was so thick that you can barely see 10 meters ahead. While everyone on the street were trying to get home, you see the three of us outside, running towards the snow and all covered in white.
We took a long walk, went to get crapes, came back home and cuddled with hot Chai and warm blankets. It was a blast. 
Thanks for starting this Kris!
Jennifer Smith | Dec 11, 2007 | Reply
hi, wow this just refreshed my winter memories!!! I guess winter is one of the most amazing seasons .
Love,
Jennifer
image consultant | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
I absolutely love the first picture - it’s such a fantastic image of winter joy!
Jen / domestika | Dec 14, 2007 | Reply
Lovely to read these evocative memories, with a cold wind picking up and yet another major snowstorm rolling in (Oh Canada!) before winter even starts officially… its good to have a reminder to stop squinting into the blizzard and look around at the wonder and beauty. I love to go for a walk down a woods road, before the drifting gets too deep, and look for tracks of wildlife in the snow.
Rick Cockrum | Jan 24, 2008 | Reply
Beautifully done. You reminded me of hunting with my father when I was young. One part of me hated it, it was so cold and I would get so tired. Another revelled in the bite of the wind, the blue glow of the moon on the snow and the river, and the silence broken only by our footsteps, the bay of the hounds as they tracked their prey, and the occasional car in the distance.