We loved to sing, though at a rather inappropriate time, "Long live the winter wind." It is indeed now that we can join Raphaël, who made it the main theme of one of his songs. Winter is here and it manifests its presence with its cold breath that seizes the senses from dawn. And, as every year, those who still reserve a warm welcome for it are not rare. Thus, always to the great astonishment of the most cold-sensitive, there are those for whom winter is the preferred season. These are the people who can disconcert their peers by not investing as much as the latter in warm clothing.
Winter can be seen as a reminder that we are not masters of nature. The natural laws that govern climate are (still) stronger than the dreams of human power. It is in these moments that the lessons of Marc Aurelius and his Stoic companions can challenge us to benefit from their discernment. If we listened to them, we would understand that lamenting is futile and that wisdom consists in accepting the season rather than cursing it. The world, indeed, does not function in accordance with our desires, and winter is there to teach us to be more clear-sighted.
When cold limits possible escapes to warmer atmospheres, it also sweeps away the illusions that mask certain truths hidden by summer heat. In the harsh conditions of winter, our movements are restricted and, with them, access to certain entertainments. Entertainment being, according to Pascal, a means of fleeing the human condition, which is miserable. In the throes of winter, this precariousness, which we try to forget through distractions, manifests itself with even greater acuity. This may be another reason for the aversion some feel toward winter.
The Cynic philosopher Diogenes went beyond a simple attachment to cold: he made it a means of knowledge. He then braved winter by treading through snow barefoot, thus showing that what was believed to be indispensable was merely convention elevated to "necessity." Winter can then act as a revealer of what is truly essential, everything else is merely decoration. And when this superfluity is swept away by the winter wind, real life can appear with greater clarity.
Fenitra Ratefiarivony