In one of those ironies that Mother Nature brings about from time to time, the biggest snowfall of the winter came to Philadelphia this past week – a couple of days before the beginning of Daylight Saving Time and a couple of weeks before the start of Spring.
It has been a cold winter in our area but not a particularly snowy one, and it was interesting to watch how people reacted to a real winter storm. Most children, and those adults who retain a childlike part of their personalities, greeted the snow with joy. It was a time for many to stay home from school or work, enjoy family time, engage in some outdoor play, and put their previously idle shovels or snowblowers to use.
I spoke with other people who tend to automatically looking at the dark side of things – and they behaved true to form. They worried about potential damage to homes or trees or telephone lines, the dangers of driving in snow, and the chances of their children catching colds by playing outside too long.
Two sets of people reacted to the same set of circumstances in two different ways – and that made all the difference in how they enjoyed the day (and I’m talking about one day, because one day later the streets were plowed, schools were back in session, and life returned to normal).
I’m not suggesting that people have to feel good about things like snowstorms, hurricanes, and earthquakes, but I am suggesting a couple of things: (1) When you know that a storm is coming, prepare for it by having sufficient food in the house, implement safety features like putting away outside furniture, don’t venture into areas where you can get stuck without having assistance available, and do everything that you can to stay out of harm’s way; (2) Once you’ve done whatever you can control, look for ways to make the best of it. For example, consider it a rare treat to have all the family around, and see if you can come up with fun activities to do together that can also serve as a distraction.
I have used the snowstorm example as a metaphor for other stressful events. Tragedies obviously occur and have to be dealt with, but keep in mind that not all stressful events will turn into tragedies. Prepare for the possibility that some stressful events can be managed – and some can be turned into positive experiences, and at least some of the negative ones won’t last long. For example, as I write this, the sun is shining and the snow is expected to be melted in the next few days.