Winter in Connecticut 2011

It's been one heck of winter so far. We've had over seven feet of snow, and today, it's been raining on top of the thin ice that blankets the massive snow cover we already have. I can't wait to see what it looks like outside after I wake up tomorrow morning. Shoveling isn't nearly as much fun as it was in years prior. I used to look forward to a little exercise after a storm, it wasn't as much fun as working in my garden, but it got me outside in the sunshine, which always lifted my spirit a little. So far this year, I'm tired, my bones and muscles ache, and I'm grouchy.

Aside from my emotional dealings, history is being made here in Connecticut. Today I had a small revelation and realized that I'm living this small catastrophe. I have to emphasize small "catastrophe"; I do think I chose the right word. We aren't used to this kind of snowfall. Roofs are collapsing and people are in somewhat of a panic. Homeowners are climbing on their roofs to clean the three to four feet of snow and ice off for fear of collapse or destruction from the ice melting. As a result we are reading daily about people falling off roofs, bones being broken, and heart attack victims. The word "catastrophe" seems appropriate simply because deaths are a result of these relentless storms; in my opinion, one death is too many. It somehow doesn't seem to matter to me that people are making bad decisions, what matters is they are doing what they think is right; similar situations occur when someone has a fire in their home, and suddenly they start looking around for things to save before they abandon their house. Is it ridiculous? Probably, but perhaps more of an instinct than a carefully thought out maneuver; I can't blame a person for that.

Mother nature sure has a way of making us powerless. I am usually reminded daily, because of my work, that my life is little and I am just one of the many pieces of a complicated puzzle. Every once in a while though, I have the opportunity to think of myself as bigger, I gain a little confidence, and start to wonder if it's possible that I could be special. That's when something much bigger comes along to remind me that I could be wiped off the face of the earth in just one second by something so powerful that even my most creative dream cannot imagine. Well, this winter is a simple reminder for the ego, and I have once again become humble.

So in the midst of this exhausting and sometimes overwhelming winter season, I will continue to work my tired body and appreciate each day of life. I don't know that I can avoid being grouchy at times, it might just be part of the package. I will learn from all this though and try to become a better person, and I will certainly continue my swim with the other fish in the world for as long as possible. I will also start taking more pictures. I just haven't been in the mood and come summer in the heat and thick of things, I will want to be reminded of all this and appreciate my life just a little more.