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Topic 92 One-season or four-season climate

The South of Spain or the South of Antarctica? The Northern United States of the Northern Maldives? Where we live - the climate that surrounds us - has a tremendous effect on how we live our lives. In many cases, our emotional well-being depends on the climate we live in. Even more important than the general climate is the change in climate. I strongly believe that a four-season climate is better for us psychologically and physically. For this reason, I prefer to live somewhere where the weather changes several times a year.

There are great psychological benefits of living in a varied climate. Take my hometown, Cleveland, Ohio, for example. Winter in Cleveland can be quite depressing. The sky is often gray and snow and wet rain dominates the weather forecast. It's not all bad, though. This is a great time to do snow skiing, sled riding and enjoy a cold weekend afternoon in front of the fire. While the outside elements can sometimes bring you down, most Clevelanders would tell you they prefer a snowy winter and a white Christmas. It's what makes the holiday season more special. Even more is the excitement when we see the first glimpse of springtime-the daffodils start to spring up and the days become warmer. This time often coincides with Easter. What would Easter be without a soggy egg-hunt in the back year? Then, of course, there are the progressions from spring to summer and summer to winter. The long summer days do something for our spirits-late nights on the porch watching the fire flies at dusk make us all feel a little bit younger. The warm days and cool nights of autumn are not far behind, either. Those Indian Summers, as we call them, are reminders of how the seasons have whisked by us in a fury.

In addition to the psychological effects of weather change, we also experience a great physical benefit. Winter weather brings many outdoor sports in Cleveland like ice skating, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and much more. The first signs of spring get us out the door hitting the pavement to shed our winter weight gain. And summer? What a beautiful time in northeast Ohio as we venture to the metro parks for long walks, to Lake Erie for a dip her warm waters, to the garden where we tend to our flowers and foliage. Autumn serves as a reminder that those warm days are slipping away. What better physical benefit than raking leaves, mowing the lawn for the last few times before winter and preparing the house for the cold weather?

Some people prefer places like Florida where it's hot and hotter. I suppose it means a smaller wardrobe and a more predictable lifestyle. For me, nothing beats the traditional four seasons I experienced growing up. It has shaped the way I view each holiday respectively. It has carried many fond memories of an active youth. Now that I live in a country with very little weather changes, I long for a White Christmas, a wet Easter, a hot yet breezy 4th of July, and a crisp yellow and orange Halloween.

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