Snow Day!

Life is full of surprises, some delightful and others disappointing. Winter weather in Minnesota can deal out both.  Some people say, "Don't get your hopes up!" That is the case when the weather man forecasts 4"-8" of snow overnight and we are all hoping for a school cancellation the next day.  But weather is anything but predictable.  Snow storms move south or stay north of us.  What looked like a dusting turns into a full-on blizzard as the wind whips up.  Then we cancel plans and stay home, only to see the sun come out and make us feel guilty for playing hooky. 
Every media outlet has been playing up this current winter storm.  They say we will experience cold like we have never before.  It will be colder than Alaska with wind chills down to -45ºF.  But we just don't know whether to believe it or not. Our school closed begrudgingly about 7:30 this morning, caving in to pressure from other school closings. That means one less day of summer holidays. It is easy to let our emotions get caught up in the ups and downs of the thermometer and living with the expectation that what was broadcast on TV might or might not happen.

Recently I took note of the words of Mma Ramotswe (from the Ladies No. 1 Detective Series).
"The world, it seemed, was full of people who made idle promises.  And one of the things about getting on a bit in life was that you came to realize that half of what people agreed to do would never be done.  Charlie was still too young to know that, but he would find out before too long.  Of course, Mma Ramotswe did not approve of cynicism - she still took people on trust, she still gave them the benefit of the doubt, but at least she had learned not to be disappointed when people failed to do what they said they would do.  She hoped that Charlie would come to understand that too, and that he would not become distrustful in his dealing with others.  He was still at that optimistic stage in life; he still believed that there was nothing that he could not do, that life would get better and better.  For most people, Mma Ramotswe thought, the discovery that this was not so happened some time after their thirtieth birthday." The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith

Mma Ramotswe also says to "not put all ones eggs in one basket - especially if that basket has a hole it it." Meaning that we should not fixate on one outcome, because who are we to decide that is the best outcome?  The realization that things might not happen according to how we wish is not a case of being a grumpy Debbie Downer, but being willing to accept other outcomes as OK.
So if the snow comes, I get a day off work.  If not, I get closer to Spring and the world turning green again.  I can get to that long put off chore done at home, or start that new project I am planning for school.  I can snuggle up and watch the flakes float down, or revel in the brilliant sunshine.
The really cold weather is projected to hit us on Wednesday.  So I will  either be by the fire writing another blog, or seeing my students' excited faces tell me all about...whatever has just happened in their lives.  Either way, I'm good.