Life, actually…

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RUNNING HOT AND COLD

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When life runs hot, I run cold.

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One good way to survive these oven days is to slip into some cool thoughts.

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Many years ago, my daughter Margaret and I figured out how to manage

our un-air-conditioned home in mid summer. We dug up some old Christmas music LPs and cassettes and pretended it was snowing.

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It got us through.

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So, here is a freezing frozen memory of our Deep South village, not that many Januarys ago…

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Dear Red Clay Diary,

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Last week seems like a week ago. Wait—it actually was a week ago.

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Remember how uncharacteristically cold it was in this Deep South city? How blindsided we all were when the Sunny South became a deep freeze? When short sleeves and toeless shoes suddenly seemed precisely the wrong things to wear?

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Here are crumpled notes I found in my pockets, once the temperature rose a bit:

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The cold day surrounding us tells its own story, while we attempt to survive being within the belly of this icy beast.

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Babies’ rosy cheeks become chapped.

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Out-of-shape adults walk the Tim Conway walk to avoid sprains and breaks.

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A woman sheds tears and wrings her hands out of fear that she won’t make it home to warmth and safety.

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Helpers appear magically out of nowhere, making themselves available to those of us who feel helpless.

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The snow cushions sounds and makes the world seem tranquil amid the chaos.

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Some stranded drivers decide to remain calm. Others panic. Others curse.

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Others just take notes for later stories.

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The Southern tradition of going barefoot suddenly seems a laughable concept.

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Visiting snowbird tourists wonder at The Sunny South they are seeing.

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Heroes abound: hospital and nursing home workers, firefighters, self-sacrificing motorists, teachers and school staff, good neighbors, police officers, 911 and Crisis Center operators, little kids rescuing little birds, city street workers.

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Caring instantly trumps Selfishness.

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What lessons did we learn from the Great Disruption?

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1. It doesn’t take much to bring out the best in some of us.

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2. It’s nice to know that people can be kind when given the opportunity.

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3. Strangers can became lifelong friends in just a few hours.

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4. Whether we like it or not, we do depend upon each other.

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There were more lessons learned. Can you add to this list?

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Perhaps it would be an uplifting exercise for all of us to compile a list of lessons learned.

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It could always be referred to next time we wonder what this world is coming to

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 © Jim Reed 2022 A.D.

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