How do you feel about winter weather? Do you love it or hate it? This thoughtful essay by an emergency room physician discusses how someone’s attitude may be colored by whether they have access to heat and shelter, good health, or other factors. In the essay, the author Edwin Leap says “When I see our patients, wrapped in coats or shawls, sick and chilled, I realized how much of my love of winter is predicated on the fact that I can enjoy it. My parents did not struggle to heat our home, or to provide me with a hat, coat, gloves, or boots. There was always warm food, and hot chocolate with toast.” You may or may not agree with this, but I do know that if cold weather makes your joints hurt or keeps you from going where you need to go or is hard to survive with the clothes you own, it may not bring much pleasure. You can read it at MedPage Today here.

Winter wheat in snow. Source: Bob Jones, Commons Wikimedia