We call January to May our spring semester. Right now it is difficult to think of spring since we are just about in the middle of winter in Iowa. I really enjoy living in a state where we have four seasons throughout the year. By the end of one season I am looking forward to the next season.
I can't wait to see what the GROUNDHOG in Pennsylvania does next week (according to an old fable if he sees his shadow and runs back into his hole we are supposed to have 6 more weeks of winter, if he doesn't see his shadow winter will be over soon--so a sunny or cloudy day on Groundhog day, February 2nd, determines the length of our winter???) Spring and fall are my two favorite seasons but I do enjoy most of summer and winter. I think they both have beautiful aspects.
However; one of the downsides of winter is the cloudy days and the bitter cold days. We need our sunshine to feel good and we need exercise to feel good as well. Finding alternatives for exercising outdoors is a key to keeping our spirits up during the winter months. The chemical endorphin is released into our body when we exercise. Endorphins are needed to keep our spirits elevated. Without the natural endorphin chemical it is easy to become depressed. Laughter also releases endorphins in our body and so finding humor is key to feeling good as well.
