Michigan Winters: 50 Shades of Gray (with a Chance of Snow)

This is officially our eighth winter in Michigan.  I never thought I'd make it this far, that I'd last this long, especially during that first bitterly cold winter.  Duane and I barely survived that winter, or at least that's how it seemed, but we did and we were so glad when it was finally over.  Every single winter since has been about the same: long, bone-chilling, and so very gray due to the constant overcast.  

I used to hate going outside during these everlasting Michigan winters, and I avoided looking out the windows, for there was nothing worth seeing except for dead everything covered in dirty snow, or worse yet, no snow whatsoever.  It was oppressive, the lack of sunlight, of color, made me want to curl up and die.  Duane felt the same.

Of course we both suffer from SAD, always have, but until we moved here we'd never experienced anything like a gray Michigan winter, so our depression was so much worse here.  But there was nothing we could really do besides endure each and every one of them.  All the while we were counting down the days until winter actually ended–as winter doesn't actually end until well into spring–fantasized constantly about getting the hell out of Michigan, and envied anyone who did.

As you can see we're still here, but this winter is different from all of those others.  This time we're very much alive and kicking.  Sure, the blah colorless days and icy blasts of wind are as bad as ever, but we're alive and not just surviving.  

What's changed?  Our diets, the amount of sleep we get, the time we spend at the gym, we finally purchased a "happy light", and we cheer each other on every single morning (example: It's not unusual for either of us to say "Yay! We did it!  We got up early!  We're functioning!"  But you know what else has changed?  We have.  Our attitudes have changed.  

I don't necessarily know what's brought this change about, I suppose it has to do with the fact that we were sick of ourselves, of the pathetic non-people (robots programed to be ridiculously sad and nothing else) we became for more than half the year, every single year since moving here.  We didn't want to be those people anymore, and the economy being what it is, it's not like we could just up and move–getting a good job is difficult these days, and anyway we are so very grateful for Duane's current job.  

So yeah, we changed.  We decided to add a bit of our own color to these frigid gray days by appreciating all that we have because we are so very blessed.  See:

Blessed, amirite?

We decided to laugh instead of cry, because laughter truly is the best medicine, and honestly, we don't want our girls to look back and remember us as sad people.  They deserve more than that, deserve better, happier memories of Duane and myself.  

And sure, this change hasn't been easy.  Like I said, we have to cheer each other on.  Every morning.  We have to keep busy, otherwise time passes far too slowly.  We have to have to find humor whenever and wherever we can.  And of course we pray to get though each and every day.  It's not always easy, but we're doing it for the first time since we moved to Michigan.  

The real test comes in February, which is historically the absolute worst month for Duane and myself.  We're keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best.  If I remember, I'll post an update when the shortest-yet-somehow-the-longest-most-depressing-and-lame month is over.