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Senior Correspondent

"Live as if your life depends on it." — Werner Erhard

The weather forecasters got it right this time. It did snow… and snow…and snow.  Schools and businesses closed for a day right in the middle of the week. Schedules were interrupted. And many of us were the recipients of a gift; a day with no plans. Kids pray for these days, and know exactly what to do with them when their prayers are answered. We grown-ups? Not so much. 

This was one of those definitive snows, when you knew the night before what activities were to be cancelled. Those are the best. Knowing that our leadership classes through the College would be cancelled the next day, we began to get into the Spirit of Snow Day the night before. No alarms would be set.  Breakfast would be civilized, leisurely even. We could do some household chores and get off to a slow morning start. We would take our Beagle, Katy, on a walk in the snow in the middle of the day, and enjoy all the action at the bird feeders. Hot chocolate would be perfect for our afternoon break. We actually found ourselves looking forward to the Snow Day, rather than being anxious about the inconveniences that come along with a winter snow storm. 

And the next morning, sure enough the dark weary winter days gave way to a beautiful white snow-scape. We awoke to the perfect Snow Day, and we were prepared to make the most of it. Instead of directing our attention to client activities, we would focus inwardly on our business and the list of important "on the business" tasks waiting patiently to be accomplished. 

The Snow Day came and went. Roads and streets were efficiently cleared, and soon it was back to business as usual. But, the Snow Day gave many of us a much needed "Time Out!" We had a day to spend on important things, rather than urgent things.

While we make our plans and prepare and organize and re-organize, we can easily become attached to our plan or to our routine. We can even become rigid or closed-minded in our thinking. What might we be missing that's even better than we had planned?

My Mom, the consummate planner and logistician, is fond of saying, "Why, this (or that) turned out better than if we had planned it." 

The Spirit of Snow Day stayed with me the rest of the week and into the week-end. It reminded me of the necessity of scheduled Time Outs or Sabbath time for human beings. Even machines are treated to a little preventative maintenance. We need to make sure we are treating ourselves with the same care and respect. Nature must know that we all need a Snow Day now and then.  And, Mother Nature knows best! 

 

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