Noticings – April 21, 2021

NOTICINGS…

April 21, 2021

Well of course it is. Snowing. In late April. Like we didn’t have enough disheartening stuff swirling around in our lives lately. We wake up on what should be a beautiful, warm, sunny spring day and discover that it’s none of those things. It’s cold and snowy and very un-spring-like. But maybe it can still be beautiful? Maybe we might celebrate the uniqueness of it? Maybe we can be glad that it’s given us something fresh to talk (complain) about?

Maybe I can find a way to theologize about it – like how the unexpected can break through at any moment and profoundly impact your life – like how nothing is impossible just because it’s improbable – like how as this present trouble recedes we’ll feel that much more grateful for the returning warmth. Nah. I’d rather gripe! Crappy cold weather, in a crappy never-ending pandemic, with crappy restrictions, and crappy prospects for getting back to something like normal. Harrumph!

That felt good! It’s good to let your feelings out and not push them down and try to squelch them. It’s good to release all that disappointment and frustration – as long as you do it in a safe and healthy way and not at the expense of another person. Go ahead. Shake your fist at the snow. Let it be a symbol of how it feels like everything is working against us these days. Let it represent your frustration or anger with our current state of affairs.

And after you’ve had a good, long, loud, cathartic release – take a deep breath – and look again. It’s falling very gently. The trees are gleaming and shining. It’s all fluffy and pure and clean. We’re not supposed to be out and about anyway, so we can just enjoy the natural loveliness of it all from the warmth of our homes. And yes, it will be gone in a little while, and things will get back to a kind of normal, and the weird April snowstorm of ’21 will become part of our lore.

I suppose I should invite you to go out and make a snowperson, or lay down and make snow angels, or go for a walk and try to catch snowflakes on your tongue. Those sound like fun. As for me, I’m going to pour another cup of coffee, sit by my fireplace fire, and think warm thoughts. And I’m going to be grateful – mostly because I know it’ll warm up soon so I don’t have to shovel! Strange days indeed.