Lotus Moment: Oh The Weather Outside Is ... Well

Why this is awesome: Thanks to a host of factors -- but namely climate change -- this year's Christmas holiday in the Northern Hemisphere, but south of the 49th parallel, has been largely sans neige. Although I'm not a big fan of the winter season because ice and freezing temperatures make me want to stay indoors, I was a bit saddened by the 10°C/51°F highs we experienced on the holiday itself.

Then my mind recalled how last year's holiday was mild as well, then fast forward to the first week of February 2021, and a snowstorm clobbered the East Coast with heavy snowfall for 48 hours. On that day, I arrived home after a 3-hour drive across state lines to a city trapped in ice, folks trudging through knee-high snow banks, and neighbors helping each other push vehicles to the side of the road.

And that's the thing I remember most about that frightful day/week. When I, a fiercely independent person, needed help, I was able to ask my neighbors for a hand, and they graciously said yes ... more than once.

I received helped when I got stuck on the wrong side of a speed bump; when I needed to take a break from shoveling to answer nature's call a neighbor let me use their restroom; and when a freelance snowplow operator who was clearing the lot at the private school next door helped clear a spot for me on the street when I couldn't pull into the parking lot for my apartment building because the snow was too high.

I may not be the first person anyone thinks of when they talk about Christmas spirit, but it's those small acts of kindness (especially during moments of extreme adversity) that remind me of why some people adore this season so much.

Top Image: My Neighbors In The Snow by Candace Nicholson | Bottom Image: A Path Through The Snow by Candace Nicholson