It used to be that only the wealthy could flee the seasons, and mostly it was summer. Houses in the Hamptons. Hotels in The Catskills. Mansions in Newport. Then came the car and a burgeoning middle class. And people started fleeing all the seasons. Beaches got crowded. The mountains filled up. Snowbirds headed south. It’s a nice luxury to have, this ability to pick up and go to avoid the unpleasant natures of our homes. I don’t think many people appreciate it, judging by the number of people griping about the quality of life in America these days.

I wondered about it last week when I went to visit the badlands of South Dakota and saw pictures of people in sod homes trying to conquer the wilderness. I could only imagine what it must have been like when the first big winter storm blew in, and the snow drifted high, and they had no idea if or when it would end, because none of them had cell service, or a weather service, or any history with the land. And how in the world did they stay warm with no fuel to speak of close at hand.

But stay they did, mostly. People adapted. Learned the seasons. Learned how they worked. Learned to live with them. Learned to appreciate what they have and how to make it work for them. I think that might be the key to a well adjusted life. Learning to live with what you have. It doesn’t mean you can’t strive for something better, but it sure helps the struggle if you can find some beauty close at hand regardless of how the winds blow or the sun shines. Although, where would be as a country if we weren’t a people who picked up and left to find a better home for ourselves and our families. Poorer I imagine and less able to deal with the future.