Melting under the scalding summer sun, I wish for fragile flakes to descend from the sky.

In the thick of the unforgiving winter season that brings frigid temperatures and unpleasant driving conditions, I wish to be somewhere warm to thaw my numb hands—where there’s a beaming sun to bring vibrant life back into the plants hidden under the weighted white blanket of snow. 

These are some very common thoughts of those who get the privilege of living somewhere that is gifted with all four seasons during the calendar year. 

Some people despise the spring; the awkward transition from winter to summer is just too much to bear as the weather isn’t always pleasant. Other’s deem spring their favorite; they enjoy taking the opportunity to camp or explore the great outdoors in the mild, fresh air. 

I think I take living in a place that gets all four seasons for granted. I am guilty of thinking how much I’d love to live somewhere that is constantly warm, spending all day out on the ocean or going for bike rides along paved paths. The same goes for when I think it would be cool to live somewhere that experiences more steadily cold weather—the opportunities for skiing and snowboarding daily are endless. 

But overall, I think experiencing all four seasons is much more well-rounding than a single solid season all year round. You don’t have to travel very far to find a different type of weather; just wait a couple of months, and you’ll be caught in a heatwave when you could’ve sworn you saw a snowflake last week. 

Part of the fun of changing seasons for me is the wardrobe switch. Wearing limited styles of clothing would get so redundant. I don’t know about anyone else, but I love wearing jeans and hoodies and boots, and sporting those in a warm location just wouldn’t work out too well. 

With the change of seasons, the year is mapped out easier. In the wintery months of December, January, and February, the snow primarily falls during the school year. Once the last of the snow cover melts, school is done and it’s the perfect time to enjoy the more forgiving weather of the summertime. 

Then in spring, my mind imagines a rainy welcome. My birthday is in March, and every year, the weather is different. It could be a chilly 60 degrees and sunny, or a stifling 20 degrees and could be considered a snow day. 

Summer comes with fun relaxation time with friends and family and getting that golden tan as we spend most days under the sun. 

Fall comes next, decorated with fiery red leaves and dusty ground as the school year starts up once again. Then the cycle restarts with winter, which often can’t decide when it wants to come to stay. 

December wouldn’t scream “Christmas” to me without the cold weather where we get to wear fleece pajamas and drink hot cocoa by the fire. Doing that in 80-degree weather every year would not be nearly as thrilling or festive to me. Why stick to watching winter movies where the little families have a light snowfall outside their home when you can just walk outside your house in the winter and pick up a glove-full of fresh snow? 

If I lived somewhere that was constantly warm, like Florida, I feel like I’d get tired of the mundane weather sequence, doing the same activities that the weather permits, and getting stuck in a time with no change in the seasons. 

Here in Michigan, if you get tired of one type of weather, some kind of a new storm or tremendous warm spell could come upon the land in a matter of days. Though sometimes the constant change may be frustrating at times, it can also bring about pleasant surprises. You know the weather will change soon enough, so I wouldn’t trade my four-season years for anything.