Warmth of the Summer

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” 

I love this quote by John Steinbeck. We do enjoy and appreciate every little thing about summer in New England--- because it is so short and because we go thru the frigid winters to arrive here. When I moved here from India over 25 years ago, I couldn't understand what the big deal was about warm weather and the sun shining. The Sun was always shining in New Delhi and it was almost always hot. It was the rain that we used to dance in. The monsoons or rainy weather after a very long and hot summer is something that everyone dreams about, and Indian poets and songwriters have written extensively about it. Why is it that we typically only want what we don't have?  I guess that's human nature that we learn to appreciate what we don't have easily or often. Only when you have gone through the bitterness of heartbreak, you can appreciate the warmth of pure love. Next time you are in a challenging situation, take some comfort in knowing that it will make the next happy moment that much sweeter.