Trilly had spent the whole morning wearing one boot. The other was still under the bed. Even getting dressed felt like a bloody expedition.
His brother Jolly came through the door with a pot of stew and found him staring at the grey sky.
“Who’s draped a dishcloth over the whole world?”
Right, there’s more going on than a bad mood. Winter brings fewer daylight hours. Light entering our eyes helps set our body clock, which organises when we sleep and when we’re awake.
When that signal changes, some people feel sleepier and lower. We also go out less and stop making plans. The day starts feeling small on the inside too.
So we switched to sunshine-hunting mode. Coats on, boots on, out for a walk. Even a cloudy day gives us daylight. But when a tiny patch of sun appeared, Jolly legged it over with the pot.
We squeezed into the sunny patch, eyes closed, faces warm. Trilly shuffled up beside his brother. He hadn’t felt like being near anyone for days.
“Budge up. My soul feels like a wet sock.”
The sunshine moved. We moved with it. Three metres later, Jolly was carrying the stew and Trilly had the bread. We looked like a bean procession.
Then we put some proper tunes on. Jolly grabbed the lid as a microphone and danced so badly his trousers nearly fell down. Trilly burst out laughing and started shaking his arse.
We demolished that lovely stew together. Miserable weather gets good company, proper food and a bit of movement. If low mood sticks around or disrupts daily life, get professional help too. A comforting meal can support you, but it doesn’t cure depression.
Afterwards, Trilly spotted a golden rectangle beside the door.
“Another sunbeam! Grab the pudding. We’re moving!”