Our usual contentment outlook is frequently negated by our insatiable quest for the ‘greener grass across the fence’. No matter what we have and how much we have, our minds always look out for more of something else.
In the northern hemisphere, north of the 49th Parallel, all four seasons are well-marked and profound. Birds, bees, plants and humans are conditioned to live according to the season. However, when the climate fluctuations are erratic, prolonged or drastic, they take a toll on all living things. Seasons are mood-altering: they make us happy, sad and lethargic. Prolonged winter is a cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) caused by lack of sunlight and diminished outdoor activities.
It has been an uncommonly cold winter for us in Canada until a month ago. Christmas came and went, and the ‘walking in the winter wonderland’ became a stale feeling a long time ago. It is unusual for us to have such a prolonged, miserable, deep-cold winter frequented with snow, sleet, whiteouts, blizzards and ice storms. Though the days were getting longer and the sun was bright, sun rays didn’t have the warmth. Frequently I hear, “OMG...This is too much! I want some sun and heat; I want to get out to some warmer place.”
As we longed for an early spring, we totally forgot what it was like last spring. It was lousy according to many. It rained for many days, not much sun, and was cooler. It felt like London, with misty, rainy, foggy, miserable weather.
Spring to summer
Then, suddenly, Mother Nature shifted gears. Looks like she is becoming fickle-minded like us, and the temperature started to climb to positive double digits. Snow and ice melted away from the lawns and rooftops, nights started to shrink, days stretched beyond 12 hours of daylight. April showers brought in the Easter lilies, tulips, daffodils and May flowers. Lawns, annuals, perennials and trees sprouted deep, dark green leaves. Creatures small and big popped up their heads, out of hibernation. We could hear the raucous chirping of birds in the evergreen bushes outside as they soaked in the early morning sun.
People had already started shedding their multiple layers of clothing. From heavy winter jackets, scarves, ear-muffs and hats, they are unclothing to lightweight, climate-appropriate dresses to welcome spring. Boots give way to shoes and open-toed sandals. Coats were left open, showing plunging necklines and receding hemlines. Thus, as the temperature rises, skin exposure increases. Exposed skin is a definite sign of spring. Then, suddenly, summer arrived: the temperature hovered around 30. Heat alerts and cooling centres were put in place. People’s mood changed to a lazy, hazy, infused with a bit of lethargy. Felt like the pace of life had slowed down a notch or two.
Our perceptions and actions vary greatly when related to our comforts. When spring comes, we look for the summer. How did we do during the last summer? We complained again about the heat and humidity, after longing for it during the spring. ‘It is ferociously hot’, the radio announcer said. I heard further comments that qualified it as ‘sizzling’, ‘heat wave’, ‘smoking hot’, and so on. Even the sign on the churchyard invited us in for a ‘cool worship’.
I’m not sure how the climate-change naysayers are going to tackle this one. Then again, we are conditioned to follow our comfort zones. Any change, subtle or overt, can alter our mindset, demanding something more, better, new and different. We have short-term memory deficiency when it comes to our own comforts. We live in the moment. We need comfort and happiness now; nothing else matters at this moment.
Many vacillations
We are often self-centered and adamant about our personal gains and comforts. Anything that alters such comforts makes us apprehensive and long for alternatives. When cold, we complain and hope for warmer days. When in summer we whine about the heat and humidity and long for cool fall days.
We demand more of everything, from money to material paraphernalia. From one job we dream about a better one, more vacations, and whine about too much work. We need options, and choices. Then, we have difficulty in selecting and sticking with one choice. We get burnt out very fast, and need new challenges to maintain our interest and keep ourselves motivated. Our minds are on a constant quest for more.
Philosophers, pundits and scientists tried to read human minds but with little success. Greed, selfishness, never-ending quest for something other than the status quo , narcissistic ideologies, ‘me’ attitudes, and so on are found entangled with other normal, humane and good-natured characteristics. Our minds are an ocean of too many hesitations and contradictions.
The enigma of the human mind is very visible as it goes in quest of something new always. Our minds go unfettered in search of something new and different, like the greener pastures across the yard. We can’t wait for ‘tomorrow’ as it represents new optimism. Then, when tomorrow arrives, we recollect our yesterday, fondly calling it nostalgia. Then, we wished it would be here today. Thus, we vacillate and whine.
se.kumars@gmail.com
