It has been so bitterly cold here in Pennsylvania.

I can’t remember a winter being as cold as this, but I’m sure there were colder days.

Even though the daylight hours are growing longer minute by minute, it’s easy to find an excuse not to go out unless you absolutely must, but then again I often have to push myself to accomplish things.

People I speak to have been in all kinds of nasty moods. They say they’re “under the weather,” not feeling good about this time of year.

As I stood outside with my two dogs yesterday, it was so cold that my nose and face felt crisp and my cars were stinging.

Of course, that doesn’t matter to Ricky and Lucy. They have a routine they must go through to find just the fight spot no matter how cold or hot it is.

So I wait.

But this time it was different. As cold as it was, I suddenly was invigorated thinking about how wonderful this extreme cold really was.

Then the sun broke through the clouds and memories of summer’s scorching hot days flashed through my mind. I could remember standing in the heat of the afternoon, sweat pouring down my brow and the hot, burning sun against my face. I reminded myself then and there that in the cold of the winter I would wish I had this heat.

I was right.

Two extremes in my life that most of the time I find uncomfortable, I normally dread them and gripe about it all the way through.

But today I was grateful for them. Without the extremes in my life, I would never appreciate the days when things were just right. Without the extremes life would be boring.

It’s being pushed to one of the extremes that makes us appreciate the middle more. Health challenges reminds us that we need to pay more attention to how we live. Financial extremes reminds us that when things are in excess it’s time to tuck away for when the times are lean.

So bring on the cold so I appreciate the heat more.

Make me sweat on a hot summer’s day so I wish I had a handful of snow to rub my face in.

I’ve come to the conclusion that all too often I find a reason not to be happy with where I am at that moment.

Whether it’s hot or cold, good health or bad, in the money or out of it, I always wanted it to be different.

But no more. I want to start finding a reason to be happy right where I am. Even if it’s simply the fact that I’m alive.

I’m tired of being “Under the Weather!”