When I think back over the best experiences of my life, many of them were uncomfortable in the moment. My first backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park for example, during which I saw some of the most awe-inspiring scenery of my life to date and brought home several hundred mosquito bites. Or my first garden, into which I poured my heart, soul, and countless hours of time, yet harvested almost no vegetables (but gained a stronger body, valuable lessons, and enough enthusiasm to try again). Cold and snowy days like today carry the same high/low feeling. It’s uncomfortable to be out in the cold tending my chionophobic chickens (they’re afraid of snow) on days like today. But if I didn’t have anyone counting on me, I might be tempted to stay indoors. If I stayed in, I’d miss the enchantment of the day. Now, as I warm up indoors sipping a hot cup of home-grown tulsi tea and writing this article, I look back over my time in the snow with love and gratitude for another best/worst day.