Into Each Life, a Little Snow Must Fall

Our Fair City has recently dug its way out of a 25 cm snowfall. The snow started Saturday and it snowed for two days. Saturday night, the wind picked up and as the new snow continued to fall, it created some beautiful snow drifts. At the onset of this snowfall, I could still see grass in my front yard. It now looks like a winter wonderland.

Great snowfalls unite the city. Even the neighbors who don't shovel their walks regularly, are forced to deal with snow. You look out your window and you see your community in action. Everyone is working together, doing their part in clearing the way.

Then there are the roads. I heard stories of cars getting stuck (I am grateful beyond words that I don't have my personal testament ... I have a miracle-car that navigated the storm without a hitch, but that's a whole other blog) as they simply couldn't navigate the drifts. Stories of the Good Samaritans that helped others out (granted, since there was only one rut in the road some were helping out of necessity ... otherwise they couldn't have passed).

My Middle Son returned from Mexico one day after 'The Great Snowfall of 2010'. His touchdown back to earth was a stark return to reality. He couldn't retrieve his truck from his farm due to the snow and drifts that had made passage impossible. Two shovels, five hours of digging, getting stuck and unstuck and then stuck again ... and pure perseverance eventually paid off. He loaded his quad onto his truck, headed for the city and then proceeded to smooth out the ruts on our residential street. My own personal Good Samaritan.

The crisis has passed. The roads are passable, buses are running and we are a mobile city again. Two days later, our city was up and running.

I thought of this massive amount of snow compared to the endless winters where there isn't any outstanding weather phenomenon to contend with. Just a relentless long and cold season. As it is with life ...

Sometimes we have 'natural disasters' in our lives. The big stuff. Sometimes you don't see it coming and all of a sudden you are in the middle of a 'blizzard' and overwhelmed at the idea of digging yourself out. You start ... simply by continuing to breathe. Then, you take a step.

There are great communities of people to help you shovel your way out. If only you reach out to them. If you take one step forward, chances are that you have a community of support to help you through the storm.

Sometimes you get blindsided by life. Akin to an aftershock after an earthquake. One would think that the crisis itself is bad enough, but it isn't. More loss and pain ... your new reality. It is tough to wake up to a brand new world. A world that isn't what you planned or expected. But you must continue to dig your way out of the rubble. Reaching out to your community and feeling them reach back helps. It doesn't heal all ... but knowing you aren't alone in the world makes a difference.

Then there are the 'winters' that are simply long and unrelenting. Life issues that simply don't go away after the crisis has passed. There are some sunny days in between the worrisome times, but it is still 'winter' in your heart. There isn't that satisfaction that comes from digging your way out of the 'blizzard' of life ... because it continues to snow. Every day. Then the cold arrives ...

There is a completely different kind of strength that it takes to deal with those long, cold 'winters' of life. A winter that doesn't necessarily end with the onset of spring ...

But spring does arrive. It brings hope, growth and a time of renewal. After a relentlessly cold and hard winter, one always needs hope. One continues to need their community. Even when the snow has melted, they still benefit from someone helping out with the rain that falls every day.

We all have some storms to endure. As I look around me, I know many that need a little help with the long, cold winter of their lives. It's time to grab my shovel and lend a helping hand ...