A Debate for All Seasons

I’m not particularly good at making small talk, probably because I’ve never made an attempt to improve such skills. I don’t really have a problem with sitting in silence (the more awkward the silence, the more amusing I find it), and sometimes I’m convinced that if I squint hard enough I’ll be able to see the wheels turning in someone’s head as they attempt to come up with the next topic to discuss. One of the most popular conversation topics, of course, is the weather. I would like to see some statistics on the role weather plays in conversations. Not only is it the universal conversation starter, but the sentiments expressed are almost always negative, at least in my experience.

At this point I should explain that I have spent most of my life in northern Utah. Those who live here are well aware that we have about two weeks of truly gorgeous weather in the spring and two more in the fall (if we’re lucky). The rest of the time it’s usually over 90 or under 30 degrees outside. So complaints about the weather are not necessarily unjustified, depending on where you live. What I question, however, is the wisdom in discussing something we have no power to change.

As this particular winter considers relinquishing its hold on the land, I feel that I need to pause and take note of some of the similarities between weather cycles and life in general. Most of us probably have some sense that there are times when things are going well for us in every area of life, and there are inevitably times when things go wrong. We do, of course, have control of most aspects of our lives, but it’s important to recognize that some ups and downs are unavoidable. We might be able to eat right and exercise, for example, but we are powerless to prevent natural disasters. When we recognize the hand of God in our lives, it lends us some perspective and enables us to see the bigger picture, if we will humble ourselves enough to recognize His wisdom.

I look back on trials in my life and see the good that has come about by overcoming them, as when I have worked to correct a mistake, or simply enduring them, as in the case of serious illness. Similarly, as the earth thaws we can pause to appreciate the beauty that will soon be returning to the land, although the landscape may still look brown and lifeless. Winter acts as a sort of reset button for nature, allowing us to plant new flowers, paint the house, and just luxuriate in the returning warmth of the sun. We know from the scriptures that trials help keep our pride in check by reminding us of the true Master. They give us a chance to build character.

Spring is symbolic of times of prosperity. We can have family picnics, go hiking and camping (with no fear of losing digits to the cold), and take pride in beautifying our homes and yards. Spring is also, of course, the time to plant food which will be gathered in the fall, which food we need to survive the winter. When trials come, it’s comforting to have memories of better times, knowing that eventually our lot will improve, even if that happens only in the next life.

To me, those who have overcome serious trials always seem more content and wise, at whatever point in life they may be. Have you ever known someone who seems utterly unflustered despite the beating that life has dished out? I can only hope that someday I will reach that level of maturity. These are the people who have learned to appreciate the cold, dark winter, enjoying the variety of experiences that life has to offer. They understand, as did father Lehi, that without the contrast, the good loses its meaning. They are looking forward to the return of the summer, of course, but they don’t waste their effort complaining about where they are. Instead, they work hard to make the most of the present and ensure that the good times will come again. They “lay up in store” in times of plenty.

It may seem strange to compare something as trivial as small talk about the weather with something as deep as our overall attitude toward life, but I think our perspective colors our view of the world and our method of expressing ourselves. Our words probably tell more about us than we realize, at least to those who are paying attention. So the next time you hear someone complain about the weather, smile at them and tell them that you’re enjoying it, even if you have to force a smile as you chisel the ice from your windshield.

An Exercise in Persistence

If you’re anything like me, you have a hard time convincing yourself to exercise, particularly in the winter. There are many excuses for this, including being too tired and just not having any time. When it comes down to it, though, it’s usually just plain laziness that stops us from doing it. At least, that’s the truth in my case.

In the past, whenever I had tried to begin an exercising regimen, I immediately ran into a problem which I’m sure many people are familiar with. I started off doing too much, which left me sore and unable to continue exercising for days. So I would exercise one day and then end up not doing it again for weeks or months.

Last year, however, it finally dawned on me that the most important part was not necessarily how much I was doing at a given time, but simply that I did it consistently. That would help me develop a habit, which would allow me to gradually increase the amount of exercise I did. So I resolved to make it a daily habit, however little I might do. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to join a gym, because I don’t see why I should pay somebody every month to do something I can do at home for free (and without the potential for public humiliation).

The next challenge was to decide on when during the day to do the exercise. I have been told that exercising in the evening can wake you up too much to be able to go to sleep easily, and in any event the idea of getting sweaty before bed didn’t appeal to me (and I’m sure my wife would agree). I knew that the ideal was to get up early and exercise in the morning before taking a shower and getting ready for work. I have never had a problem getting up on time for work, but if I tried to get up very much earlier it just wouldn’t work. In the end I resolved to just give myself an extra 5 minutes in the morning to do a few fast and simple things.

I started by doing two crunches (seriously). I just wanted to make sure I was doing something, and I didn’t want to overdo it and make myself sore, since it had been quite a while since I had done any. So over the course of a couple of weeks I worked up to a dozen or so. Then I picked up a couple of cheap dumbbells to do a few curls, and a bench-press-style exercise where I would lie on the floor and push them up. Eventually I added a few pushups. I hate pushups, but I think they’re a great exercise, since they strengthen your back, chest, arms, and stomach.

Eventually I reached the point where I would do about 15 crunches, 15, pushups, and 15 curls. While that kind of exercise is not going to win me the Mr. Universe competition, doing it every day can help keep me in reasonable shape.

There is, of course, one more important kind of exercise I had so far neglected. Cardiovascular exercise is more important for overall health than strength training, and it’s also the most time-consuming, which is problematic. In the summer, it’s not too hard to play outside with my son for a few minutes every night or go for a walk as a family. But I knew the problem would be finding a way to get that activity in the winter. Getting up every morning in the winter is hard enough without trying to add an extra half hour to go running in the morning. I considered purchasing an elliptical trainer, but they are pretty expensive, and I have no place in my home to put it (seriously).

So I decided to be creative about it. I still plan to get my own elliptical trainer as soon as we have a big enough place to keep it, but in the meantime my parents have an elliptical trainer that I can use. So I decided to go over there a couple of evenings every week to exercise. (As a bonus, I could take my son so his grandparents could have quality time with him and my wife could have a little peace and quiet. Everybody wins that way.) While I have not yet been very consistent in this last goal, I will keep working on it.

The point of all this is that exercising doesn’t have to be a grueling, time-consuming burden on your day. We are all busy, and the last thing we need to do is try to cram one more thing into our schedules, but taking care of our body is an important part of our growth. When we do so, we show gratitude for the bodies we have been blessed with, and we help develop our self-discipline, which can have positive effects on the physical and spiritual aspects of our lives.

And if it helps us look good in a swimsuit, there’s no harm in that.