This

is

Alright, I’m officially suspicious.

It is supposed to near eighty degrees today. And unless I have completely lost my ability to read a calendar, it is April 12. The math here isn’t quite adding up.

You know that saying, “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth?” Read a certain way, that’s just terrible advice. If a couple more Trojans had bothered to look their particularly large, wooden horse they had been “gifted” in the mouth, they might have discovered that there were more Greek soldiers hanging out inside of it than what might have initially met the eye.

The weather the past few days? Yeah, there are giant wooden horses that have been left on beaches that are less suspicious than this. I have lived in Wisconsin for 28 years. Not nearly as long as others, but far long enough to know this is a trap.

“Oh, look how nice it is out now! Summer must be right around the corner. Don’t you just want to put away all your winter things and start planning all the fun outdoor activities you can do now that winter’s horrible grip has loosened?”

That’s just what it wants me to think. But it’s all a lie. I’m on to it. I will not be fooled.

Because as soon as that winter jacket gets packed away, as soon as I crack out the short sleeved tees and shorts, as soon as I think “oh, this is great, I won’t have to freeze at track meets or baseball games any more,” that’s when the tables will turn. That’s when the evil laugh will sound from offscreen and the camera will slowly pan to reveal that winter was never gone at all, but just lying in wait for me to put my guard down.

But not this time. Oh no, I’m on to all your tricks, winter. You can hide all you want, but I know you are still out there somewhere, biding your time. I will not be caught unaware when you inevitably come back. When it snows in a couple weeks, I will be ready, shovel in hand.

Unfortunately, that is an all too likely scenario. I have had my hopes dashed far too many times to fall for the same old thing yet again. It may feel like summer is right around the corner, but the calendar still says it’s the middle of April and honestly we aren’t safe until July.

All of this being said, there is a less pessimistic take on the phrase “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” The intended reading is that one should not be ungrateful for something that one has received as a favor, to not take for granted something gifted to you. That’s a little different from blindly accepting any gift one might receive without believing there to be any additional strings attached.

Which is why, despite the knowledge that this good weather probably isn’t going to last, I’m still going to appreciate it while it is here. Read out in the sun, go for walks, hit the tennis courts. Even if it will eventually fade away, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t here now.

As with pretty much all things, a balance can and probably should be struck. Plan for the future, yes, so that when things like winter’s return crop up, one won’t be caught off guard. But don’t get so caught up in fretting and planning and creating contingencies that you don’t even get to enjoy what’s right in front of you. There’s a good middle ground to be found here.

So while I’m not getting my hopes up, I’m going to enjoy the good weather while it lasts. I can appreciate the giant wooden horse for what it is; I’m just not letting it in the city walls. Sorry winter, better luck next year.

A C ertain Point of V iew