Bad weather can bring us together
Yes, it is way too early to see this much snow on the ground.
We should have at least a few more weeks with piles of leaves, pumpkins and other signs of autumn in abundance. If I were a boutique coffee drinker, I’d be upset about not having enough time to enjoy my pumpkin spice lattés. In fact, after wiping a bunch of snow off my windshield, I’d be more inclined to order some cinnamon-and-spice concoction as I geared up to go Christmas shopping.
Here’s the one nice thing about having a way-too-early snowstorm: it briefly took my mind off of COVID-19 and the Nov. 3 election. For a few hours yesterday and today, I almost forgot that we’re still in the middle of a pandemic that won’t go away, and that I can’t turn on the TV or my computer without being inundated with political ads. All I cared about was how well my wife’s new car would handle in the snow (it did alright), and whether or not I would feel compelled to shovel my sidewalk in the morning (nope).
As much as we like to complain about the weather in the Upper Midwest, it is one thing that brings us together. Even Minnesotans and Wisconsinites, with their various sports rivalries, can generally agree that anything more than a dusting of snow in October is a supreme bummer. But it’s a hardship we all share, regardless of political affiliation, football allegiances or differing viewpoints on wearing a mask.
My guess is that north of 90 percent of us all had the same reaction when we first started to see the snow fly yesterday afternoon. Of course, there is always that small but crazy minority who love to see winter last as long as possible, but my guess is those same people also enjoy filling out their tax returns and getting root canals.
For the most part, we are united in our disgust with Mother Nature when she won’t follow a simple timetable. This time of year, for instance, we’d like to see at least a month between the last few leaves falling and the ground being covered with snow. The week of Thanksgiving, when hunters are out looking for deer, is generally seen as an acceptable start to the snowy season. In the spring, it would be nice to see all the snow and ice gone in time for Easter.
Such talk is just silly, really, since we are powerless to set the Earth’s thermostat to our liking. If it snows on Easter and rains on Christmas, that’s just the way it goes. This inevitability means there’s no room for argument, debate or even meaningful protest. You can always yell at the weatherman or curse the sky, but it won’t change anything.
Besides, by the end of the week, the snow will likely all be melted and we can go back to complaining about politics and pandemics.
OUT FOR A WALK
KEVIN O’BRIEN
EDITOR
