Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Gray Days

We have been having a very gray spell around here for some time now. And, again, I know I really can't complain about a southern Italian winter as compared to say...a frozen tundra or a northern clime where the sun only shines a few hours a day. But gray day after gray day can really get a girl down.

When I first moved here I would laugh at the people who would tell me they were "meteopatico." This is a word that doesn't seem to actually exist in the dictionaries. What it means is "a person whose moods are affected by the weather."

Well, that just seemed like the height of self-indulgent mollycoddling to me at the time! Like the way they would complain that the weather was "ruined" when a single cloud would mar the otherwise pristine blue sky in summer. I mean, come on, get over it! What's a little cloud in the sky? What's a string of gray days? Life goes on just fine despite these teeny, tiny inconveniences.

And yet, here I am. Feeling gray because we've had nothing but gray days for the past couple of weeks. I'm afraid I may be turning...meteopathic...or maybe even meteopathetic!

So, to defend myself from feeling stupid on top of gray, I did I little poking around on the web and discovered that this weather-affecting-one's-mood thing actually does exist. If you don't believe me just click here, or here, or even here and then tell me what you think! There's even a more serious condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, which as an acronym communicates so much!

My approach to the grayness is activity. Getting out of the house, meeting up with friends, going to the gym, perusing the sales at the shops, taking photographs, whatever. The key for me seems to be to get moving, be with other people and not hole up at home.

So, speaking of which, I'm out of here. Smile and have a sunny outlook, even if there's no sun when you look out the window!

9 comments:

Karen said...

Meteopathetic, that's me. I swear I even have more headaches when the weather is like this. (It's probably just thinking about all the laundry that's not getting done.)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Oh, yes, I'm sure there's something in SAD. It's not as grey here as it gets in the UK and I find it strange to see a clear sky when it's so cold!

Fern Driscoll said...

Saretta, you're so smart to get up and out - it's the cure for SAD, or even just the blahs. Nothing drearier than day after day with no sun; nothing finer than friends and activity! Viva!

Leah Marie Brown said...

As someone who recently moved from the frozen, always-dark days tundra to the warmer climes of Florida, I can feel your pain. Gray days can really get you down. As far SAD, I am living proof that it does exist. I moved to Alaska weighing 115 pounds and immediately packed on 14 pounds. I struggled the entire time I lived there. Moved to Florida and lost it all in a few months. I was so sleepy and unmotivated in Alaska and I attribute it to the lack of sunshine. Like your friend said, Get UP and get out!

Louis la Vache said...

You posted this in January - «Louis» is visiting in late February, and reporting that it is gray here, too...

;-(

Rosaria Williams said...

Doctors are finding out it's a disease caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D. Now, they are prescibing mega doses of D.

Cherrye Moore said...

I *totally* get you. It has been dreary here in Calabria, too and it does get you down.

The sun is shining here today - I'm sending some your way ... .

shopgirl said...

Hey Sara,

Very cool photo!! I would never think to take a photo of something like that.

I agree with you about Gray Days. I, hope it gets warmer and sunnier!

I'm so glad you're feeling better!

R

Francesca said...

I'm irremediably meteopathic, and this year has been hard on me so far ... wishing you a sunny summer:)!