by Joe Miller,
Director of Development
April may be the cruelest month, but for many people, November is the dreariest.
The fall festivals are over. Live music and other events tend to pause through the holidays. It’s cold, but not usually enough for snow. The trees are bare. TV ads are filled with messages like If You Really Love Your Family, You’ll Buy Them All An iThingamajig 21 (now on sale!).
So, it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that a survey by the American Psychological Association found two in five Americans report higher stress levels between November and January than at other times of the year.
It’s not hard to understand why. The fall and winter holidays are expensive. They require a lot of planning and coordination. And it all happens while Nature’s Mountain Playground is arguably at its dreariest and the days are too short to enjoy it anyway.
Some of our worst traits will be on display this month. A Google search for “Walmart fight Black Friday” returns a depressing number of results.
I am, admittedly, a little odd in that I enjoy November.
The long, chilly nights provide an excellent excuse to sit by the fire with a good book. Layers are more interesting than T-shirts and jeans. Fallen leaves make a delightful crunch, and the bare branches reveal secrets—views hidden from summertime hikes.
And paradoxically, the season reveals our best traits, too.
I’m always inspired by the generosity of the community this time of year, whether that’s donations of food and toys, volunteer hours at food banks and community meals, or gifts to charities.
It’s the season when we’re more willing to overlook each other’s flaws. To see everyone as unique and important. To put the happiness of others above our own.
So yes, this can be a stressful time of year.
But let’s try to remember the good parts. Get out for a walk. Find yourself a good book. If you’re able, spend some time or some money helping your neighbors. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it.
You can even accomplish several of those at once. During the holiday season, you can pick up a new book and pay any overdue library fines with a donation of nonperishable food.
Or if you need a little extra, stop by any branch. We have boxes with food and toiletries available year-round.
