Impervious

You know it's cold when the cat runs into the living room because she hears the fireplace screen move. And it has been cold, almost dauntingly so. But I remembered something I learned when I was in college in Upstate New York. 

I didn't have a car until I was a senior, so I walked everywhere. There were days when it was so cold I could feel the hair in my nose crisp up a bit when I took my first breath outside on my way to class. I also recall being able to walk on the snow because it had a thick top layer that was frozen solid, which was helpful since I liked to cut across the field hockey pitch if I was running late. 

But what I didn't do was lower my head and hunch my shoulders against the cold. That just made it worse! Instead, I threw my shoulders back and strode purposefully in the direction I needed to go. After all? It was just a little cold weather.

And I've found that strategy still works 40-something years later.

But a fire sure is nice, too.