365 Random Days of Team Zybko

Day #255

November 23rd, 2012

What Negative 5 Degrees Looks Like 

My oldest friend in the whole wide world sent me this text a couple of months ago. Just to check on me. To be more specific, checking to see if I had frozen to death or if Big David had kicked me out yet for being so intolerant to cold weather. After all Cristina has known me since the 4th grade, she knows the deal. I was gonna give her an honest answer or she would know better anyway, even through modern technology. I told her I was a still a big fat baby and can't understand why people tolerate this kind of behavior from Mother Nature and don't move to Florida.

You may like it.

NO!

You may get used to.

NO!

You may actually enjoy the snow.

NO! NO! NO!

Seriously, Vic, It's not that bad. Makes you feel alive.

ALIVE? Surely auto correct messed that one up. 

I stare at words on my phone, than at the clock on the microwave. She can't be drunk, it's only slightly past noon.

I type back a smarty pants reply and turn my attention to some sort of necessary, motherly duty. The digital, red minutes flip past quickly as the days afternoon slag kicks in. My hands might have moved on to the dirty dishes but my mind was stuck back on our "conversation". I can't get her optimism out of my whiny head. This is a girl who has lived. She has lived in frigid cities and she has lived through cancer. Hhmm maybe she has gained a bit of secret, valuable wisdom somewhere along the way in her struggle to stay alive. Interesting thing about the good ole days back in the 80's, we killed a few brain cells together and we foolishly thought that was living. This survivor I proudly call a life friend must have regenerated a little sumpin' sumpin' back those late college nights stole from us. To me, her experiences in the last couple of years has made her an authority on many topics. Especially about what makes oneself feel alive. 

Today, at -5 degrees windchill, I finally understood what she was talking about. 

Makes your blood pump wildly through your veins.

Heart beats fast.

 Air so cold it's hard to describe.

Fills your lungs to capacity.

You must move to stay warm.

Any skin left exposed fights for safety.

Heart beats faster.

What a great feeling to be alive.

Thanks Cristina, for remaining my friend through the good, bad and not so smart times. Love you :)