This week New England has been hit with sudden cold. I feel the change most powerfully in the early morning, when I awaken around 4:00. The rooms are frigid after a night of turned-down thermostats, and, after turning on the heat, I rush here and there to wash up and get dressed as fast as possible. As I’m reading and writing at my desk, I have the luxury of feeling the heat slowly spread through the room. At school, too, I feel fortunate on these wintry days, for I have my loyal little space heater to help me provide warm hospitality for the students. It hums quietly in the corner as we go through our lessons, keeping the room toasty and cheerful. In a way, I’m grateful for the abrupt arrival of winter weather, for it provides an opportunity to be a comforting host to my students. At the end of the day, I come home to a chilly apartment, but, like a faithful friend, it soon warms up nicely as the heat ascends from the floorboards. I putter around, settling in for a snug and pleasant evening as the apartment grows more comfortable. Within an hour, I’m as cozy as I could possibly be, safe from the bitter weather outside.