Mother Nature reminded us all this month that she is undefeated, true? She certainly is testing our perseverance – and our optimism.
Many would think, “Cold in February? Who-da-thought? LOL!” Cold, snow, and ice in some parts of the country that aren’t used to it? As we saw, that type of weather can shut down entire cities and even states. My sister-in-law who lives in central Texas posted this from a local, Unknown Sage:
To all my northern friends… Your weather is down here in my yard drunk. I’m going to need you to come down here and get it.
We broke several cold weather records in Denver. Although people assume Denver is a cold weather city, we’re actually quite mild. We are spoiled with periods of spring like weather throughout the winter. We get cold and snow for sure; but we also have a week or two of 50 to 60 degrees and sunshine during winter months. But a week of single digits and below zero temperatures? Well, that requires us all to remember:
No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn.
Hal Borland
Winter weather reminds me to be optimistic, too. I like to think of the hot, summer weather we wait all winter to get to. Realistically, we need to get to those summer months. But paying attention to our surroundings and those of our pets during winter takes more than mere optimism:
The
pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the
realist adjusts the sails.
William Arthur Ward
While realistically adjusting my “winter sails” to make it through the winter I know it can always be worse. Denver’s recent cold snap reminds me of my Chicago roots; tolerating freezing cold temperatures; and still maintaining optimism:
Life in Chicago
60° above - Floridians wear coats, gloves and wooly
hats. Chicago people sunbathe.
50° above - New Yorkers try to turn on the heat. Chicago people plant gardens.
40° above - Italian cars won’t start. Chicago people drive with their windows down.
32° above - Distilled water freezes. Lake Michigan's water gets thicker.
20° above - Californians shiver uncontrollably. Chicago people have their last cook-out
before it gets cold.
15° above - New York landlords finally turn up the heat. Chicago people throw on a sweatshirt.
Zero - Californians fly away to Mexico.
Chicago people lick the flagpole.
20° below - People in Miami cease to exist. Chicago people get out their winter coats.
40° below - Hollywood disintegrates. Chicago's Girl Scouts begin selling cookies
door-to-door.
60° below - Polar bears begin to evacuate
Antarctica. Chicago’s Boy Scouts
postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.
80° below - Mt. St. Helen's freezes. Chicago people rent some videos.
100° below - Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Chicago people get frustrated when they can't
thaw the keg.
297° below - Microbial
life survives on dairy products. Illinois
cows complain of farmers with cold hands.
460° below -
500° below - Hell freezes over. The Cubs win the World Series!
Being a Cubs fan says a lot about optimism. The Cubs have won the World Series once in the past 113 years. Once! In 2016. No wonder we are referred to as “die-hard”!
So, keep the faith warm weather seekers and fellow Die-Hard Cubs Fans - 2021 is going to be our year!
GAP
When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or…
we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.
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