Today I am writing as I look out at a snow storm. School boards outside the city have cancelled school for the day. Snow is accumulating quickly. The radio is reporting that roads are slippery, parts of the highways coming into the city have been closed and re-opened due to accidents. There is blowing snow. And yet...people are going on as usual; fighting to get to work - 15 min drives taking 1:15hr (according to Twitter).
Whatever happened to the "SNOW" day?
A day where it was OK to look out the window, turn on the radio, make a cup of tea or coffee, grab a book or the newspaper, perhaps a blanket, and just relax. Everyone would be OK with you staying home from work because they were too. The police and emergency workers were happy because it meant people were taking responsibility for their own safety. Snowplow operators were able to do there job better because there were no cars parked in their way on the streets.
A snow day was a the gift of a mental health day in dead of winter; a counter-balance day to ward off seasonal affective disorder.
Today I am mourning the loss of peoples' and society's inability to slow down. For some reason people think that life, business, economics, etc., can not go on without them. Really? If more of us modelled taking a snow day -realizing that many do not have the luxury for a job is a job and harder to find - perhaps the world can slow down. The last time this city shut down was during extreme weather: white Juan. Is mother nature telling us something? Does everything have to be BIG to get our attention and force us into action?
Well today, I am working from home; later going for a visit at a local coffee shop (to which I will plow in my snowboots, enjoying the weather).
For those who can: enjoy at least a moment of a good old-fashioned snow day.
No comments:
Post a Comment