My Winter Ritual is Uniquely Mine

It's that time of the year

Most people consider a ritual as someone chanting in front of candlelight or outside while looking up at the moon. This is not my story. The actions I take each winter can be summed up by the words of teh Grinch in the Dr. Suess classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages boxes, or bags."

These are the words of the Grinch when he realized the December 25th holiday had arrived despite his efforts to stop it. Some things take place as a matter of instinct.

The winter routine, tradition, or rituals that I have unwittingly followed for decades just happen without rhyme or reason. Paul McCartney sang it best in his hit Wonderful Christmas Time.

The mood is right

The spirit's up

We're here tonight

And that's enough

The party's on

The feeling's here

That only comes

Once a year

Day of Thanks tradition

The day of thanks in November usually begins my Winter ritual. The Thanksgiving Day Drumstick Dash, a 5K run/walk that raises money to feed the homeless, signals the start of my tradition. People gather from around the nation for this event, braving the chilly temperatures.

Men, women, children, young, and old participate. On Thanksgiving, the Drumstick Dash marks the beginning of my tradition, which continues until around mid-February.

Watching adults older than me, in their 70s and 80s, participate in the annual 5k is a wonderful motivator. This is what leads me to continue walking in the cold after the Turkey Day event.

One year I did nto have the entrance fee but from the sidelines I still walked the Turkey Day race from the sidelines. During Covid 19 you could map out your own path and walk or run it, and that was fun.

My kind of fun

I go walking and jogging, in cold weather, wearing shorts as others are donning their hats, gloves, and boots. I relish the cold air on my legs and the wind in my face, which is exhilarating. Sometimes I go to the track of a local Middle School before the sun rises and walk around for an hour which gives me my own personal 5k

When temperatures dip below freezing, that's when I enjoy acclimating myself to the atmospheric changes. I will walk through the first snow, feeling it crunch underneath my feet. 

I listen to others my age say they cannot stand being cold. They wear extra layers of clothing and turn up the heat. I celebrate that I am different and can handle it when the thermometer drops. I feel certain that spending time walking in the elements has been beneficial.

At night, falling Winter snow is silent, and as it hits nearby streetlights, I imagine I am in the CS Lewis land of Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as I walk through my neighborhood.

This is my time of peace and tranquility, and I have been participating in this activity for at least 20 years. I don't think about it, I just do it and thank my Maker that He created me to withstand the elements.

It's what I like to do

The BT Express song Do it Till You're Satisifed is a big encouragement.

People know just what they'd like to do

Whatever it is, you've got it, 'long as it pleases you

Make it last as long as you can

And when you're through, it's up to you to try it again"

I love walking and jogging in the cold. I have added a winter night jog with a local group which is fun. My family does not understand, but they don't need to because this is my personal Winter ritual. On January 1, I intend to become part of an annual New Year's Day jog. I can hardly wait.