Snow Don't Mean Cold

The polar vortex of 2019, shut everything down. For the first time in decades, many businesses were forced to close. It so cold outside the postal service, who's motto is "We deliver in rain, hail, sleet or snow" postponed deliveries until you know, mailmen and women can breathe and walk without the threat of immediate frostbite. This is unheard of. I am from Michigan, where I have seen mailed delivered with snow up to people calves.

As a kid, I was taught snow does not immediately equate to its too cold to go outside. In elementary school, I learned that 32 degrees is the ideal temperature for snow, but not 2 degrees. My science teacher taught me that there had to be a certain amount of moisture is the air, which is usually lacking in extremely cold conditions. That is why eyes get dry and lips become chapped. In my social studies class, I learned of different tribes indigenous to cold areas that have made homes out of snow. Over the years, I think advertisement and programming have made us instantly associate the white stuff with extreme cold.

According to Psych Central, "The last week in January is recorded as being the most depressing week of the year. "The bills come in from all those generous gifts you gave back when the holiday spirit had you feeling rich. The resolutions you made on December 31 are, well, broken. And it’s cold, dark, and dreary — the roads wear the kind of brown slush that is unbecoming". In a nutshell you are the opposite of how wonderful you feel in the summer.

Being from the Midwest, most people moan at the first of effects of winter. The thought of shoveling and driving through snow makes us cringe. However, for those who like quiet and adventure, there is nothing better than the snow. Driving becomes a test of skill. With the snow you can build figures (snow men and angels) , or have slightly aggressive outdoor fun exercise (snowball fights). I know what you are thinking, is she twelve, lol, no. I am just remembering that there is no age limit on what brings you joy.

If juvenile encounters are not your thing, there are things like skiing, sledding and winter hikes. Did you know that many people who visit ski lodges are not even from a place where it snows? My career has afforded me to meet people from all over the world. I encounter individuals who are not from a place where it snows have a certain nostalgia for it. I've spoken to countless people from Florida, California, Africa, the Middle East, and the warmer regions of Asia that have come to romanticize what mid westerns loathe.

Let's be clear, I love walking on the beach in the January or sitting outside on a patio in the middle of February, but I don't take for granted the benefits of snow. Its the perfect backdrop for Christmas music and holiday movies. It brings a uniformed look to everything when it first drops and it allows for a period free from most pestilence. Most importantly, it makes many people from cold areas really appreciate Spring.

I believe because our society equates busy with productive, slowing down to some might feel like torture. What people are not realizing, the amped up energy that keep most people going is needing a boast like some of our car batteries. Instead of putting oneself into "oh no snow mode", we should embrace the concept its okay to be consistent but slow. So thank you polar vortex for reminding me, that truth never gets old, you can enjoy yourself outside when it snows but not when it is too cold.