Stuck in a rut

Yeah, it’s been one of those winters that started early, acted badly, and overstayed its welcome. The weather forecasts sound like a broken phonograph record, a tale of five days of below normal temperatures, a one-day sharp warm up, a one day sharp drop, and a skip to the beginning. This last round left an unwelcome seven-inch dumping of snow, numerous traffic accidents and snarls, and several million short-tempered people. It has been a season of hoping that the snow is finally done falling for the season and then having that hope smothered under several inches of slush.

The constant weather disappointments test resiliency. Resiliency has its roots in hope. We have all heard the adage “Hope springs eternal”. Dante Alighieri in the “Divine Comedy” imagined a warning on the gate to Hell including the phrase “Abandon all hope, you who enter here”. Hell is a metaphor for losing all hope. People’s attitudes change for the worse as hope dwindles.

There may be light at the end of the tunnel, and it may not be a snowplow’s headlights. A slight threat of snow Sunday night gives way to a slight chance of 70° on Wednesday, at least according to the latest four-minute entertainment piece, er, weather forecast. I think they’re about to get one right for a change. Road crews have alternated between emergency pothole repair and snow removal these past few weeks. People in Minneapolis and St. Paul have played a game of constantly moving their street parked cars to accommodate valiant but futile snow removal efforts and may enjoy a break from shovels and tow trucks. Vehicles and bridge surfaces will enjoy a salt-free diet again. Ducks trying to land on lakes will not skid after bouncing off ice, but gracefully set down on water. Perhaps humans will molt their winter outer layers, too.

If the weather permits in your area, get outside and enjoy nature. Enjoy time with those you love. It may help give hope to someone who needs it.

 

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