Winter is here and here to stay. Gone are the humid days I love. Winter is here and as with every year I crib and complain every bit of the way. I snuggle into warm jackets and sweaters, turn up the thermostat, cuddle on to the couch with a good book and a piping hot cup of hot chocolate and complain about winter.

Last night was no exception. The much-exaggerated two minute dash from the safe confines of the building to the car left me frozen. I turned up the car heater and eased into the dark night. Soothing classical music at the backdrop, warm dry air blowing out of my car heater warmed me and I felt content. And out of nowhere this incidence from the previous summer came to my mind.

It was something I wanted to write about but never got around doing it. I might have mentioned it in a passing somewhere but the fact that this incidence stayed in my mind indicates the impact it had on me. The sad part is, it impacted me, it was on my mind for few days and poof! it was gone. Till yesterday, on the dark roads as I drove.

I do not remember the time or the day. It was probably around 6pm on one of those famed Houston hot wave days. The air humid, people lifeless, the grass brown, the sky blue and the sun merciless. I am pretty sure it was a Saturday or Sunday. One of those hot days when I was too lazy to cook and we headed off to the nearest Jason’s deli to grab a sandwich. It was a really hot day even by my standards as I choose to sit in the air-conditioned comfort than head out to the patio as I typically do in summers.

I sat there watching people and I noticed this old woman in the table nearby – shabbily clad. She was working on a cross-word puzzle and had a big drink in front of her. I hardly gave her a second glance. The food came, I ate and just when I was trying to get the over-stuffed me out of the chair to the car, I saw a police office/security officer walk in and head straight to the old woman’s table. And now this caught my eye.

I bit of shameless eavesdropping and I realize that the woman does not have an AC at home and was spending the day in the luxury of AC at Jason’s Deli. She could not afford anything more than a drink, so she sat at Jason’s deli, doing crosswords and sipping on to the drink. The manager had alerted the officer and the officer told the woman to keep moving soon.

This incidence brought tears to my eyes. The heater and the AC – the warm and the cold air blowing through my house at my own convenience – a thing I take for granted. It is just a number and a push of a button for me at home. I barely think twice about it. I “may” gasp at the electricity bill at the end of the month but that it.

And yesterday as I sat in my heated car, watching the lights of downtown promise home, food, warmth and love is close, I remembered this incidence. It made me feel small and petty. I complain and crib about small things I do not have or wish, I had but what about the big essential things I have? Yes I realize I need to be thankful and I am. But more often than not, the complaining side of me is what rules. This flashback yesterday was yet another reminder to myself to smile more, complain less, share more and crib less. In the spirit of the holiday season and in the celebration life!