What Rebirth?

54 degrees.

A warmth crept over my skin as my friend Virginia and I sped around the Boston Common during our lunch break. My light, grey cardigan the only barrier between my bare arms and the open air.

Was it just 3 days ago that I snuggled inside on my overstuffed couch and watched snow fall? Tiny acrobats flipping exuberantly through the air.

I'm New England's child through and through. I love the cold winter wind whipping through every layer, chilling my bones. I love the fragrant gift of spring, the sticky fingers of summer air fading into the brilliant colors and crisp coolness of fall. I'm sad to see this winter tiptoeing by, barely leaving it's snowy prints behind. 

I longed for snow at Christmas; no palm trees covered in Christmas lights for me. Give me the solid scent of pine and a heap of crystalline snow.

Now, here we are in the depths of January, and it's 54 degrees. The chickadees are out and chirping, trying to tell me it's spring.

"Patience!" I want to tell them, "there's still more of winter, I'm sure of it!"

Don't misunderstand me, I adore those first sweet mornings of Spring. The smell of damp earth exposed to the sun after long, dark months. Birds chattering and twittering as baby buds squeeze out of their mothers' wombs.  But it's the cold of the months before: The creaking wind so bitter you can't feel your face after a moment outside, and icy sleet crusting over every thing it lands on that makes the spring so magical. 
An impossible action.

As Virginia and I walk a final lap around the Common and head back to the office, I can't help but wish (just a little) for a harsh winter wind to begin brewing. To make me long for the respite of spring. So that when it comes, when that next day with only a cardigan arrives it will be glorious freedom. I can throw my arms out, a baby unswaddled, in the warm spring sun and say 

"This! This is what I have endured these long winter months for!"

(For those of you who now think I'm totally insane, let me at least say, despite my desires for a blizzard, like, now; I did enjoy the beautiful spring-y-ness of today!)