Appreciating winter

I just had a great conversation with a friend, and of course it has inspired the title of this very post. You see, as someone who dislikes the cold a lot, because I do, it makes very little sense that I would entertain the idea of appreciating winter. But, as you might guess we are diving into metaphors.

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At some point in time granted we've lived long enough, we've all experienced rock bottom. To me it happened when I was very young, barely old enough to buy a beer, but I know it's different for all of us. Now, what that rock bottom actually entails is also subjective, but regardless of it all, the experiences chisel and in a painful manner the person we actually become.

Without a doubt the whole idea of appreciating the hard times is just a different way of conveying the importance of gratitude. I mean, regardless of how difficult things could be right now for you or me, there are all these things around us, all these people around us, that provide us with value, and thus keep us going.

I remember someone using a great phrase to describe the ups and downs: "My collisions with reality" I found it funny, I still do, but I also find it very effective at describing how it feels to experience the grim contrasts.

One of the wisest things my mother has ever taught comes to mind at this moment: "Being happy when everything is perfect takes no effort, appreciating what you have when things are rough, that... that has merit"

There goes the word again, merit, the one word I fail to file inside my mental dictionary these days, but somehow still fits in her wise teaching.