The January Doldrums…
January comes immediately after a two month block filled with holiday spirit, rich, succulent dinners, joy, good cheer and visits from the Great Turkey, Santa and the New Year's baby. Traditionally, it is a time of let down and slowing down. A quieter, less hectic, time that may well be accompanied by a bit of depression or at the very least, a lack of focus.
January is also the time where the winter gets serious in many parts of the country. Snow, sleet, ice along with cluttered, messy roadways and driveways and sidewalks filled with snow further enhance the slowing down theory. Many people in the snow belt retreat into their homes and do just enough to stay warm and out of the elements as much as possible. It has traditionally been the time to reassess and refocus for the coming year as well. A time to put our noses to the grindstone and move forward after the warmth, wonder and magic of the holiday season have evaporated around us.
Most people, after a little time spent reminiscing, take a deep breath and forge ahead. Some people are stuck, however, in what had been described as 'the winter doldrums'. Their energy is ebbing, their mood's a bit low, and their emotional state is a bit out of whack.
I admit, I've never been there for much longer than a day or so, but I know people who hang around in the doldrums for weeks, even months, every year. One has to wonder, what characteristic of those people keeps them immersed in the doldrums when most other people pass through them momentarily and then straighten up and stride briskly on with their lives. Is it a bit of melancholy? Wistfulness to return to the spirit of the holiday season? Are they prone to too much self-evaluation? Perhaps they aren't the most motivated of people? Who knows.
As far as I can tell, doctors, hospitals and pharmacists do not have any medicine that will cure or even mediate a case of the winter doldrums. Perhaps we should have a telethon, or sponsor a 10K race or a instigate a charity for the doldrums. We could give it the catchy nickname of TWD (The Winter Doldrums) to energize interest in the cause. Then we could do blind studies on thousands of Doldrumites to find out what might work as a cure.
It could work. Or, we could just accept that some people, for whatever the reason, are more susceptible to the winter doldrums. May the dragons watch over you…and keep the winter doldrums away from your door...
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