Friday, November 30, 2007

gloom and doom...



My friend Sonja, posted this poem on her blog a few days ago. I found it rather fitting then, and I find it especially applicable today...

No sun--no moon!
No morn--no noon!
No dawn--no dusk--no proper time of day--
No sky--no earthly view--
No distance looking blue--
No road--no street--no "t'other side this way"--
No end to any Row--
No indications where the Crescents go--
No top to any steeple--
No recognitions of familiar people--
No courtesies for showing 'em--
No knowing 'em!
No traveling at all--no locomotion--
No inkling of the way--no notion--
"No go" by land or ocean--
No mail--no post--
No news from any foreign coast--
No Park, no Ring, no afternoon gentility--
No company--no nobility--
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member--
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds--
November!

by
Thomas Hood

I hear people (especially people from Arizona) talk all the time about how they just love the dark, rainy, cool, cloudy days. I don't. I guess I don't mind some rain from time to time...but why does it always have to make everything seem so bleak and dismal? I went to Portland once. I was there for 4 or 5 days, and it rained the entire time! By the end of the 1st day, I started feeling a little down...by the end of the 5th day, I practically wanted to slit my wrists. I'm just a sunshine kind of girl I guess. I like things that are bright, and beaming, cheery and illuminating. That's why I posted the picture of the flower (taken today in the pouring rain), I guess as a reminder that if you look for the sunlight in the clouds...that's exactly what you shall find.

Farewell November...desolate, bleak, gloomy, November!

13 comments:

Lacking Productivity said...

I am a sunshine girl too. I have such a hard time in the winter months. I go off for work in the dark morning, I sit under florescent lights without windows, and then I drive back home in the dark. It is a pretty miserable set up. I don't see the sun from October until April. Even the anticipation of the next six months in the dark starts to grate on the soul. Here's to sunny days!

Jess and Matt said...

I couldn't not agree more. I am a sunshine girl too...I love bright colors, warm sunshine...lots of light and windows....etc. You are right though, if you look for it, you can always find the sunshine on a cloudy day.

Danielle said...

I SO know what you mean. Growing up in San Diego, California I LOVE the sun (with sun protection, of course!). Today was so gloomy, gray, rainy, and cold here in Utah and it just made the overwhelming saddness I've felt inside lately even worse.

It should be Spring/Summer all-year-round!

Mary-Sunshine said...

Ok, well I have tried something the last couple of nights with Evelynne. I lay her in bed and sing a song and slowly walk out while i am singing. then i just stand at the door and slowly close it. Then I stand outside the door where she can't see me, If she starts to cry I will sing or just talk to her to keep her calm. The first time I was outside the door for 20 minutes. But tonight I was only out there for 5!Improvments!

Melanie said...

SO SO AGREE! (Be forewarned -- this will be a long comment! I apparently have a lot of opinions about clouds). Tragically, I have just been forced to get used to things living in New England. When I lived in Utah, my favorite type of weather was completely overcast, warm, windy days -- because it was rare. That love quickly vanished the second I moved to Vermont! I remember mid-January the first year we lived there talking to some co-workers about when the sun would come back out after 2 solid weeks of it not making a peep from behind the clouds. To my UTTER disappointment, they replied "Give it a month or two. Last year we went 63 days straight with no sun." Are you kidding????!!!!! So unfair. The University had special study lamps to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD -- most fitting acronym ever!) because so many people had problems with it. Needless to say, I miss the sun terribly! It doesn't warm up around here until around May! So depressing, and many people opt for the term "Mud Season" rather than "Spring." Late Fall here is so hard because we know we're in for the LONG haul. The only saving grace is that if you get depressed and eat yourself into a dither, you at least have the excuse of bundling up in thick sweaters to hide it! (Until June).

Brooke said...

Ooooo, you already knew what my comment would be! I appreciate and love these days because in Arizona pretty much all we have is sun! I get sick of it and enjoy and relish in this beautiful change! I love seeing my kiddos get excited and sit at the screen door for long periods of time to just watch the rain fall down, and I love leaving the screen door open to listen to it all day long. There is something so soothing and relaxing for me on these days, granted I wouldn't want it 365 days a year but I can see the sunshine or in other words the positive in these overcast and rainy days, it is that we don't get it alot so enjoy it while you can!!!

Blackner Family said...

I'm with you I am a total sunshine girl. I tell Matt all the time I want to move to Arizona! (I would love CA but it's just so expensive to live there!!) I always said my whole life I would hate to live in Washington where it rains all the time, and then I married Matt who was born and raised in Washington!!

Jason & Brandi Mitchell Family said...

Nicole, you are an amazing photographer! I have to agree with you that I'm not a big fan of Portland. Too much rain.

diana said...

nicole, this is one thing i disagree with you on. i love and live for those beautiful, refreshing rainy days. i am always in a better mood on these "gloomy" days. next time it rains i need to invite you over and teach you how to find the joy in these days with some popcorn, blankets and hot chocolate.

Anonymous said...

Steven R. Covey teaches that happy people aren't affected by the weather...they carry their own weather with them. I agree.

Sonja said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sonja said...

..Hello happy, jolly December! November really is a transitional month. Almost like purgatory, I think. Then sparkly December rolls around and winter seems bare-able. Nicole, you ARE sunshine!

Kat and Steve said...

I love a day or too of rain, but I don't like it enough to live in Portland!