Warmth

We have just had our house insulated and a heat pump installed. While Northland winters are not considered cold by the rest of the country’s standards, we in Northland acclimatise to our conditions and feel the cold just as much as others, with many of us living in houses without fireplaces or any other form of heating. While a plug-in heater will supply a bit of warmth, it does not compare to a fire or a heat pump; and the coldness of uninsulated walls and ceilings is felt.

I have been in this house for eight winters now. The first winter seemed mild in comparison to the central North Island from where I had come. Just a light jumper was needed and not much heating, but by the second winter, I was feeling it.

I got used to this way of living, with extra jumpers during the day and blankets while sitting watching tv in the evenings.

Now, having the warmth with a push of a button, changes everything. Somehow, the house seems luxurious, when in fact it is just a two-bedroom bungalow that started its life as a single garage, typical of many of the other baches nearby.

I think back to my childhood. Each morning in winter, thick frosts graced the paddocks. Feet and hands were always cold. Oil heaters warmed the classrooms but could never clear that chill that penetrated deeply into our bodies. In the evenings, our family crowded around a roaring fireplace, or a small kerosene heater, but never really felt warm.

I think of all the homeless people in the world; those finding doorways or covered areas to ease their discomfort during the long, cold nights. How have we, as a society allowed people to live in these conditions? Is it poor choices through life, that have got them there, or is it a choice to be there? What are these people learning on a soul level?

I have seen past lives of mine, where I have been forced to live in unsuitable conditions. I have been a paraplegic male, lying outdoors on the ground, relying on others to bring me food and water. I have been a female, banished from the castle and forced to live in the woods, finding shelter in trees and ferns to keep me warm. But that was hundreds of years ago. Why are some of us still living this way?

I feel so grateful for my warm house. I hadn’t realised what I was missing out on. And even in comparison to those homeless people, my house, without heating was still palatial.

Let’s hope, that we as a society, find a way, so that everyone has a roof over their head and warmth in the colder times.