winter

Whenever I’m feeling a little down or sad I always think back to rowing training; it’s full of so many happy memories.

I don’t think about beautifully warm regatta days, or a perfect outing on a Saturday morning when there is mist over the sea and the water is like a millpond. I always have a very vivid image in my head of running around the long common on a winter’s night, wrapped up warm with several layers including a hat, knowing that after the run the warm boat house will be there to greet me and that after the rest of training I will cycle home in the cold weather, but when I get home I will enter into a warm house full of friends enjoying themselves.

It’s such a happy image and it’s hard to explain, but even just thinking about it fills me with content and happiness.

In fact, one of the most odd things is that when I think of times that make me feel warm inside they are nearly all set in the winter time when the weather outside is cold. There is just something very comforting about being wrapped up in lots of layers on a cold winter’s night.