Yesterday was the day.
The day we wait for all winter long.
The day when we all know that spring is not far off!
It was the kind of day that is chilly in the shade but too hot for a coat in the sun. The kind of day when the birds can’t help but sing and the tulips pop from the soil to get a taste of the sunshine. The kind of day when the whole city goes for a walk and silently high fives each passerby as a sign of relieved solidarity.
We made it through another Chicago winter!
In the thick of winter, when the air brutalizes my fingertips and nips at my nose, I pray to my ancestors and question why they chose to settle in the windy city near the lake. The cold excites me in November and December when the seasonal holidays distract from Mother Nature’s coming fury. But, January and February in the midwest are rough. By the time March rolls around we are all so over it.
But that just makes a day like yesterday so great. We earned yesterday’s sunshine and pockets of warmth. We deserve it. We waited patiently and now we gratefully reap the reward.
For my family, the reward was an entire afternoon spent outdoors. First a nearby park my kids call Astronaut Park (all our local parks have nicknames). Then popsicles and wall ball in the courtyard with our neighbors. By dinner time, the kids were spent and already thinking about bedtime.
I know Chicago. She’s still got some sneaky winter weather lurking in our future – maybe even a snowflake or two. But, no bother. Now that we’ve been reminded of the warmer weather, we know the wait is worth it!
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