Cognizant of the Cold

Around this time of year, when the leaves begin to fall and the first few flakes of diamond dust begin to pepper the ground, I usually get excited. The winter season brings so much joy to so many people, and every year, like clockwork, it comes around right as they need it to replenish their spirits. However, there is a danger lurking behind the facade of joy. As you sip your hot chocolate and snuggle deeply into the cozy couch, think for a moment what it would be like without those amenities. Take away the fireplace, the mugs filled with nutmeg, the blankets enshrouding your legs. What is left? Nothing but a slow, creeping, bitter cold.

I watched a video recently titled “Fear of Cold” by Jacob Geller. He overviews what cold is, why it is feared, and how ruthless and brutal it can be.

This video was truly enlightening, and it got me thinking about why cold seems to intertwine itself with any and all fears. When something unsettles someone, they get a shiver up their spine. A noise in the dark makes the blood run cold. A monstrous look incurs a paralyzing freeze, limiting all movement. So many different ways of explaining fear is directly related to cold. Jacob, in his video, lists many different fictional stories and real anecdotes that display and use cold. In The Shining, the reason the family is trapped within the horror is because of freezing blizzard that surrounds them. A white death that is indomitable. Jacob explains it well: “the monster might kill them, but the cold WILL.” Even in the dire situation that the protagonists of The Shining find themselves in, they refused to face the cold that lurked outside the walls. They chose the lesser fear, and it was certainly not the cold.

So cold is feared extensively, but why does it find itself aside fear so often? It feels as though they are one in the same in the minds of every living being. Well, I began to think of a single fear that all living things have, and of course I found myself staring at death. I immediately thought of the line from one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, upon Captain Barbosa’s death: “I feel… cold.” Death and stillness are inherently cold, and that connection imbues fear. Cold is feared because it is so close to death. Cold is feared and used to explain fear because it itself is the ultimate fear, one of death.

Next time you enjoy the warmth of the fireplace, take a second to think of the creeping, unrelenting force that is being restrained, if only a little. Everyone should be cognizant of the dangers that surround them.