Embracing the Winter Ritual - A Personal Journey

On a typical cold winter morning, drowsiness still overwhelms me. It's not easy to remove the blankets from me, as the cold cuts through the bones. So, I stay wrapped up in the blankets for a while, feeling the temperature slowly increase. When the temperature is not so cold and frosty, then I say, it's time to get up.

Now, I look in the mirror. I run my hands through my hair to fix it, and give myself a light massage on my neck and shoulders. Immediately after, I head to the kitchen. I turn on the espresso machine to heat up the instant coffee. While its brewing - which takes a few minutes - I take a look out the window and estimate how cold the morning must be outside my house.

I conclude that it's not as cold as two hours earlier – as the sun must be coming up over the horizon - although it's not visible due to the cloudiness. At this moment, the coffee is ready. I pour it into a cup, add some sugar substitute and some milk, and immediately head to the dining table - get comfortable and lift the cup to my mouth - savoring the warm drink.

It is time to face the temperature outside the house. I like that it`s no longer so cold and that it is bearable for the human body. So, I proceed to brush my teeth and take a shower until I am completely clean. Then, I dry my body with a towel to remove the remaining moisture – next, I select the right clothes from my wardrobe, including a suitable jacket to get ready for work. A goose down jacket will keep my body temperature close to me.

I make sure that everything in the house is in order -  the lights are turned off - the doors and windows are completely closed - the heating is turned off. I don't like the idea of wasting electricity. So, after checking all this, I open the door and close it - I lock it and head to my car. I start it - give it three minutes to warm up and then put it in drive and head to work.

While driving to work, I notice that many cars are emitting some white smoke from their exhausts. I imagine it's similar to when a human exhales vapor from their mouth in cold weather. When I arrive at work, I complete my daily routine and return home by the same path that took me there.

The temperature begins to drop. You can hear the birds chirping. The weather is somber, cold, and a bit windy. At this time, I no longer feel like going out, so I turn on the heating a bit. I head to the kitchen to prepare the food, including a hot cup of coffee in the espresso machine. I`ll accompany it with something light for dinner.

I feel satisfied having completed my routine today. The cold months make me very cautious about the activities I will embark on, and they make me feel completely prepared for the day. Winter routines are for meditating, for taking things more calmly, for spending more time wrapped up in the blankets, and for drinking a delicious cup of coffee

And from here on, a bit of television, news, and some series will clear my mind. It is time to go to bed, the temperature outside is very cold, and I wrap myself up in the blankets. I wait for sleep to overtake me, but without first pondering a bit on the day's events. Finally, I feel exhausted and get ready to sleep.