#sol22 February 1 Hate-Love Relationships

 

I know many people head to the stores to stock up when a snow day is predicted; however, I  typically avoid (hate) those snow-induced-mass-shopping trips.  At the end of a busy week, my refrigerator was bare; yet, the frenzied crowd at the local Shop Rite was an assurance of long lines and harried shoppers.

So, after last weekend's "big snow" event, after the roads were cleared, I headed to the store.  It was still cold, about 8 degrees, and the wind chill cut right through me as I cleared the ice from the car.  While the sun was certainly bright, the cold was a paramount thought as I climbed into the car.  I must admit thoughts of hating snow and wanting Florida ran through my mind; however, at that moment, my number one need was a bit of food. 

The wind was blowing the loose snow around as I slipped  into the street and into what was still a respectable build-up of ice on the roads. "I'm done with winter, snow, and ice," I thought to myself even though the winter had admittedly been pretty mild up to this point. 

Less than a mile from my house, however, my negative thoughts about the snow and cold and shoveling hassles were replaced with smiles as the hills, even the little ones, were alive with clearly joyful children (and parents) enjoying the age old beauty of sliding on the snow.  Thoughts of my own trips down the hills as a child and memories of watching my own children explore the snow made me smile, in spite of the cold. Thoughts of snow days, pajama filled mornings, snow crusted mittens and hot chocolate filled cups flooded my mind.

A recent conversation replayed in my head as I thought of my own hate-love relationship with snow.  "You can't love and hate something," he said with the confidence of a clearly literal preschooler.  I guess that is true at 4 years old; yet, at this stage of life, I really do have a hate-love relationship with the snow and bitter cold!