by Nancy Casey
The winter we are experiencing on the Palouse is a mighty one. Plenty of folks are beginning to feel worn down by daily snow-shoveling, hazardous driving, and the scary mincing steps one must take on an icy sidewalk to avoid a concussion or a broken hip.
This is a good time to pause and remind yourself that if you are feeling exhausted by the winter, it’s because you have been fighting back. The fact that you are dealing with it is proof that although the winter is mighty, you are mightier still.
Today, write about the opportunities this winter has given you to prove how mighty you are.
Obviously, there is physical might. Breaking ice and shoveling snow. Pushing your door open when there’s a snowdrift on it. Propelling yourself forward through a foot of snow. Watching where you are going in the stinging wind. What you do effortlessly on a 70-degree day, requires physical might in the snow. If you are doing it, you are mighty.
What clothes and accessories help to make you mighty? Your coat, your boots, a perfect hat or pair of gloves? A ski pole to walk with? A broom to sweep your car? Chains on your shoes?
What problems have you solved? Getting to work on time? Getting your groceries in the door? Thawing water pipes?Showing up to meet a friend? Dealing with a power outage? Not getting frostbite? All of these things are hard in winter. Anyone would complain! If you do any of them, you can also tell a story of how mighty you are.
For anyone who dislikes the season, and especially for those who struggle with a disability or illness that makes every wintertime activity a chore, winter requires psychological might. Some people wake up every winter morning facing genuine fear and dread related to the weather. And they find a way to make it through another day. The exercise and fresh air that keep a person grounded can be impossible to get. Winter can make a person feel small. It takes considerable strength not to curl up and give in. It’s worth writing about how you manage to do that.
One of the mightiest things you can do in winter is play. Have you been outside in the snow and cold and found yourself laughing? Have you thrown a snowball, rode a sled, skied over hill and dale? When you do such things, you are definitely mighty.
Today, write a page about the many different ways you have been mighty this winter. Use the word “mighty” to refer to yourself as many times as you possibly can.
When you have finished, give your work a title. Make sure the date is on it somewhere, too. Add further decoration and color to the page as needed. Here is an example of what a person could write.
You can share what you have written by posting it as a comment below. You can type in your work. Or post a picture of it.
Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. In the spring, she will be teaching at the Recovery Center—after the weather eases up! She offers (free!) writing help to anyone in recovery. This can be for any kind of writing project—resumes, letters, stories novels—email latahrecoverycenter@gmail.com for more information.
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