Fake Winter

We’re in the midst of January in our nation’s capital, a season I refer to as “fake winter.” Coming from the Midwest, the plains of central Illinois were mighty cold in the winter. Snow was a frequent occurrence. And, just because I hadn’t gotten my fill of cold, I went to college in Minneapolis. It was in my northern college town that I learned it can be so cold that your tears freeze on your eyelashes. But, alas, it was never considered cold enough to cancel class.

You can imagine my surprise when, during my first January in DC, I arrived at work after a light snow fall to find the office was closed. It seemed DC didn’t have the “flinty toughness” of Midwesterners. Nearly anytime snow fall over, oh, a quarter of an inch or so was predicted, the town shut down. Schools closed. Offices closed. The federal government closed. Imagine the tax dollars that would be saved if the bulk of our federal offices were in the Midwest.

But over time, I’ve grown to appreciate these “fake winters.” It’s cold enough to wear a coat and long sleeves, but rarely cold by Midwestern standards. You still feel like you get all four seasons, winter is just not as harsh. I now enjoy the snow days, rather than wonder why they are necessary. To me, it’s the universe’s way of getting me back for all the treacherously cold, snowy walks to class in Minneapolis and the cold winters of Illinois.

And today? It felt like a warm spring day as I walked downtown amidst temperatures approaching 60 degrees.