The other day, I was in an elevator when a man with a grin said, “Aren’t these days the best?” He was talking about the weather—a 20-degree day after days of bone-chilling single digits. I shrugged. “Boy, you’re optimistic,” I said.
He grinned even wider and replied, “Yep.” That’s one way to look at it, isn’t it?
It’s the magic of a thaw. It tricks us into thinking the worst is behind us. The snow turns into slush, and you see glimpses of pavement that had been buried for days, if not weeks, some cases months. It’s a temporary reprieve, a slice of hope. But let’s not kid ourselves—winter’s still out there, lurking and in my part of the world, Rochester, New York, we get slapped by again and again and again.
Life’s thaws are like that too. A small win after a stretch of losses feels like a full-on victory parade. Maybe it’s an unexpected smile, a piece of randomness that gets you guffawing, or a day when things go right for no reason. They bring a smile to your face, and some hope. Whatever gets you through January, right?
What about you? Are you a “grin at the thaw” kind of person, or do you keep your coat zipped, expecting another storm?
Let me know in the comments and support my work at jamesbrowntv.substack.com. And on that note, I’m James Brown, and as always, be well.
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