Kathy D'Agostino

I'm perplexed, and I know it isn't just me who feels this way. The weather in Maine has been a bit inconsistent lately. April was rainy and cold. May was cold, wet and windy. June is supposed to be the meteorological beginning of summer, but our heat pump remained on.

Perhaps it's just me, but I can remember a time when folks appeared to have more empathy and compassion. The ideas of giving and kindness sometimes seem to have been dimmed by what I call "me first" syndrome.

May is a beautiful month — the gateway to summer, when we celebrate warmth and blooming flowers. And May often creates fond memories.

Spring has arrived. It's my favorite time of year. For me it is a time of rebirth, celebration and firsts. The rains come, the snow melts and the grass once again turns a radiant green. Flowers start to emerge and the birds, weary of their winter travels, come back home. I hear their song of celebration every time I go outside to hang the wash on the line.

If you're thinking about vacationing in Maine, March is part of the offseason for everything except skiing, sledding, and maybe ice skating or ice fishing. If you're into winter sports, you're in luck. But hiking trails are either frozen or muddy from rain or thaw. And while the weather is inconsistent, one thing is for sure: It will be cold.

As kids, we didn't have much choice about what to do during February. Extracurricular activities were limited, as we lived in a rural area. Besides sledding and ice skating, there wasn't much to choose from when it was cold outdoors.

Well, it's that time of year — time to set goals for the new year and promise ourselves we'll see them through. We all do it. We often set the bar too high. We promise to eat healthier, exercise more, perhaps read more books or take a class to enhance a skill.

It's the holiday season and maybe it's me, but I'm just not feeling it this year like I usually do. In my heart I know it's the lack of snowfall. When I was young, storms would dump copious amounts of snow in December. We would go downtown and see store windows decorated for the season. The streets were lined with lights and garland that ended at a large tree covered in snow that glittered with colorful lights. It was simply glorious.

I have to admit that November isn't exactly my favorite month. It's a time of frosty breezes and solitude. When I was young, the harvest had been completed and all the farm machinery had been put away by November. With the intense work over, the fields that had been vibrant green and full of promise in spring had turned stark and brown.

I recently went to my family physician. At each appointment, patients are asked about food insecurity. I admit I just dismiss the question. But for many, it can't be dismissed.