Winter~ A season for friendship

 Happy 2023, everyone! Wow! It feels crazy saying that number! I can;t believe how fast time flies. 

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I sure did! I got to spend Christmas morning with my mom, dad, sister and her boyfriend, as well as my aunt for the first time, which was really nice!. My aunt has  put on a great Christmas Eve feast at her house for the past few years now, and we now also have a winter solstice celebration, as part of our family holiday traditions. All three celebrations were so much fun, and I’ve had some nice relaxing times as well, witch I really needed after all my “Dare to be Different” presentations! They were so much fun, and I made my dream come true, but I was exhausted afterwards, so the break was well needed.

    I love Christmas! It’s time for family and friends, and for being grateful for what you have. The carols and songs fill me up inside. Everyone tries to be a little kinder, and, hopefully Christmas can help remind us of how much we have in our lives.

   

    I have Aldo  learned to appreciate winter more these days. You look outside, and it’s like some sort of magical wonderland out there. I think for me, winter is one of the prettiest seasons, especially when fresh snow falls on the trees. My family loves to take pictures, as they go exploring, and some of them turn out amazing! What a beautiful place we live in! And, the fact that I get to go skiing, and my birthday is in January helps the too!

    One of my New Year's resolutions for 2023 is to appreciate what winters can bring, and what they can teach us. I know there are a lot of people out there who do not look forward to winters at all. It can be so cold, and slippery out there, and driving can be dangerous. We have definitely had some scary roads this winter. There’s a lot of things people have to remember and prepare for again  after a summer of hot weather.

    When you have a physical diverse ability, and struggle with mobility, winter can feel even more  isolating at times. Electric wheelchairs do not work so great in the snow. If there is too much snow outside, my tires get stuck, and if it is too cold, my battery can wear down. I lose a little bit of my independence in the winter.  I have to rely on others to get me out of the house. All other seasons of the year, I am pretty much 100% independent. I can walk around inside, and when I’m outside, I just hop in my chair and wheel anywhere I want to (that’s accessible). I get to be out in my chair for so many months of the year, that by the time winter comes around, when there is too much snow on the ground for me to get out, I forget what it’s like a bit, and when I remember, I get mad! My freedom’s gone! I’m not independent anymore! And then, I begin to get jealous of the mobility that other people have. 

    It’s funny how western culture values independence so much nowadays; especially, because, as human beings we need connection. We learned that from the effects of COVID, especially.

    When I was growing up and going to school, independence was always a goal of mine. Teachers, and educational assistants were always encouraging my independence. My major childhood goal was to learn independence, so that eventually I could live on my own. Therefore, I too, can get a bit attached to it, even more so, because independence was in the limelight, and a focal point for me a  lot of the time, in my life. One thing I have learned from winter is to let go of the need to be independent, and to accept the extra help, and to cherish the love and concern and attention given to me. 

      Because of winter, there is skiing, and the adaptive ski program PASS was started that brings so many people together. Because of winter, I have received assistance from a program called CSIL (Community Support for Independent Living). They give me money to help me pay someone to get out, and go on adventures with me, or just to run errands that I can’t do on my own. Being on CSIL has createwd som wonderful friendships. 

    I always like to say that whenever you have to ask for help with something, it is an opportunity you can take  to build personal connections. It’s an opportunity to learn about someone new. It’s an opportunity to be vulnerable. 

     I feel grateful for my mom, and all the times she has taken me out. I feel grateful for every other family member, and every friend who has offered to take me do fun things with me. When we treasure our independence too much, we tend to take for granted everyone who has made it possible. I would not be where I am today, if it weren’t for countless other people. Not many of us would be. Winter has taught me that. And, that is why I am changing my mindset about the season. Instead of thinking of winter as the season of loss of independence, I’m going to start thinking of it as the season for friendship!