It’s -6 degrees outside. There’s an eerie silence all over the farm; all you can hear is the crunch of the snow beneath my feet. The cows that normally moo and the chickens that usually cluck are nowhere to be found, tucked warmly in their respective dens. I can’t recall a time that we’ve had a winter snowstorm this bad since I moved here almost three years ago. This weather is symbolic to how I feel right now: cold, ominous, and still. But that’s how it’s supposed to be this time of year.
Living on a farm has made me show respect for the timing of nature and the seasons. Everything has its place, its moment, its time, and nothing ever comes before it’s supposed to. The internet will have you believe that this is the time to hit the ground running and start off the year “strong.” You’re probably being inundated with others’ new year resolutions, goals, mood boards, vision boards, and messaging that makes you feel like now is the time to set things in motion. But nature is different. It doesn’t bend to the whims of man’s calendar and it takes its time.
I’m not knocking the people who already have their shit together for the year. That’s inspiring and sets the tone for the year ahead. For those who don’t, however, don’t feel bad. Humans are some of the only mammals that don’t take the time to fully hibernate as other species do. Thanks to capitalism, it’s next to impossible for us to fully retreat and hibernate for the season. I started off the year sick with some sort COVID-flu hybrid that had me bedridden for the majority of the holidays, leading into the new year. My diet consisted of soups, broth, and fresh pressed juices. I kept warm with weighted blankets and my dog Yeezy curled at my feet.
I binged all of the TV that I could stand, caught up on sleep that I felt I missed from the previous year, and nursed my body back to health. Being sick was honestly a blessing in disguise. My body is always in go-mode and I was prepared to jump headfirst into the new year. My body kept score from the lack of care from the previous year and finally said, “sis you need to rest.” So I did. It was probably the best rest my body has gotten and needed in over a year.
If you’re feeling called to rest, to ease into the year, to relax, don’t feel bad. Lean into that. Your body is telling you what you need. The internet will always be here. You are not behind. Sometimes you need to take that time to really just be and sit with yourself.
As a TikToker commented, “nature goes dormant in the winter. We are part of nature. We are allowed to go a bit dormant as well.” So if you have the winter blues right now, no worries. Everything will feel better when nature goes green. The spring equinox always brings new birth and new growth. Take the time to rest and ease into the new year.
Reading: “You Don’t Need to Document Everything” Essay by: Freya India
Eating: OG Muva’s (my mama’s) White Chicken Chili recipe
Playing: Cat x Hiroshi Suzuki. I’ve been super into Japanese Jazz and Korean R&B lately. It’s perfect to work to.
Obsessing: Probably the coolest job in the world, a Barbie stylist? Check this out.
Recommending: “Lisa Frank: Unicorns, Bad Bosses & Cocaine Rainbows,” a podcast episode by Lemme Fix It! about the iconic 90’s brand, Lisa Frank and her rebrand. Very interesting deep dive!
Treating: Got to break in my new Christmas Moon Boots thanks to the snow.
I love this perspective of us as a part of nature; we tend to forget that. With social media, capitalism, and the hustle culture we forget that hibernation is apart of our cycle (at least I forgot). Winter blues had been hitting hard as of recently, and this was the message I needed to hear and be reminded of!
Oh and Barbie stylist...didn’t think that was a thing! Down the rabbit hole I go! 😅 As always the graphics the message is on point.!
I always appreciate your perspective. It's refreshing and wholesome. I agree that winter is a time to rest and rejuvenate, so we can be reborn in the spring. I'm glad we share these ideologies and the opinion that capitalism is harming nature. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone. Although I'm not living on a farm, I enjoy the suburbs of Germantown, Maryland, which also has a farming history. May we continue to grow and evolve with each solar return. Thank you for sharing your digital finds, they are always gems. I love being here and I consider us BFFR.