I suspect that it's officially called something like "mid-winter break," but I know that most of the students at the community college call it "spring break." And it's happening this coming week. Here I am watching the weather reports for the next few days, trying to put the predicted below- zero temperatures in context with anything related to spring.
I apologize for being obsessed with weather, but this winter has found a way to occupy my full attention. And it doesn't show any signs at all of leaving anytime soon.
It was the poet t. s. eliot (he of the lower case fame) who told us in The Wasteland that April is the cruelest month. For my money this year, I would suggest that both January and February are just as cruel.
The month of March will be here in a few days. Six years ago, on March 1, we moved into our home. I remember that day being a cold day. But I also remember moving all of our furniture through the front door of our house. There was some mud, but there was no snow on the ground. I'm comparing that memory to my front yard this year. Even if our lives depended on it, we couldn't move anything through our front door this year. The snow is piled high, and all of that snow is sitting on top of several inches of ice. I suppose that I should consider March 1 of 2008 a meteorological gift - a one-time concession to our foolish decision to move before winter was over. But, over time, I have come to see March as the dividing line between winter and whatever it is that comes next. This year, what comes next appears to be more winter.
Even so, some good news today. I just made reservations for Molly's next trip home. At her school, spring break happens in late March. It happens in late March, when we might be just a little closer to . . . spring. I can't presume to know what the weather will be like at that point, but I can - and I will - choose to be hopeful.
Two years ago, we had several seventy-degree days in March. We didn't complain much about that, but that early warm weather ruined the fruit crop that year. This year, March will start with several below-zero days. But hopefully, we'll enjoy apples and cherries later in the summer. I can easily envision what I think is ideal - with the weather and with every other part of life - but the truth is that I don't really have any idea what's best. I'm better off simply leaving all of these important matters - including the weather - in God's hand. Ultimately, I'll end up dealing with so many things that are completely out of my control. And though it hurts my pride to admit that, it's the honest truth.
Two weeks ago this very day I was walking barefoot on a sandy beach. I was wondering what I would do with all of the extra time I would have if I didn't have to shovel snow so much. I imagined how productive I could be, and how much I could accomplish.
In truth, I probably wouldn't do any more even if I had more time. Life is simply what we do - wherever we happen to live. If it's not the weather, it's something else. And there's plenty to distract us whether the temperature is hot or cold.
All the same, I'm hoping that spring is out there somewhere. If not this week, then maybe the next one.
Or the one after that . . .
Even so, some good news today. I just made reservations for Molly's next trip home. At her school, spring break happens in late March. It happens in late March, when we might be just a little closer to . . . spring. I can't presume to know what the weather will be like at that point, but I can - and I will - choose to be hopeful.
Two years ago, we had several seventy-degree days in March. We didn't complain much about that, but that early warm weather ruined the fruit crop that year. This year, March will start with several below-zero days. But hopefully, we'll enjoy apples and cherries later in the summer. I can easily envision what I think is ideal - with the weather and with every other part of life - but the truth is that I don't really have any idea what's best. I'm better off simply leaving all of these important matters - including the weather - in God's hand. Ultimately, I'll end up dealing with so many things that are completely out of my control. And though it hurts my pride to admit that, it's the honest truth.
Two weeks ago this very day I was walking barefoot on a sandy beach. I was wondering what I would do with all of the extra time I would have if I didn't have to shovel snow so much. I imagined how productive I could be, and how much I could accomplish.
In truth, I probably wouldn't do any more even if I had more time. Life is simply what we do - wherever we happen to live. If it's not the weather, it's something else. And there's plenty to distract us whether the temperature is hot or cold.
All the same, I'm hoping that spring is out there somewhere. If not this week, then maybe the next one.
Or the one after that . . .