spring forward
I love this place. The last traces of Tuesday’s snow storm were glistening in scattered chunks all around campus this morning, reminders of how drastically things tend to change in a short amount of time. That’s Ohio for ya! Not many were expecting the spring blizzard and precious few were happy about it, or at least few would admit to appreciating the chance to groan together. The so-called bad weather serves as an icebreaker, a topic of conversation that strangers can both relate to and generally share the same opinion about. “Snow is bad. This is April. Where is spring?”
It vanished as quickly as it came, and I can’t help but think that it may be the last I’ll see for at least a year and a half, depending on where I’ll be next year, but I know that it won’t be my car that I’ll be shoveling out when winter comes around again. Although I don’t yet know what I’ll be doing, could it be that will actually miss trying to pry open a door that is frozen shut. Will I be saddened by the thought of bird tracks preserved in a thin white layer on the porch or a mountain of dirty snow plowed onto the sidewalks. Once they’re gone will we miss the things once seen as inconveniences; the snow, the 40 minute drive to school, school itself.
A recent speaker for my Perspectives class challenged us to take a look at our pleasure bands. Do we require a certain temperature for our shower, for the house, for the air in general. For most people, the pleasure band regarding climate is relatively small- winter is too cold and summer’s too hot. I think that’s why we get so upset when winter-like weather patterns intrude on our definition of spring. For him, the band is narrow when in regards to soft drinks. Only Pepsi will do, yet he says 3 days into a missions trip, especially to India, something changes in everyone individually. After 3 days, every member of the team seems to notice his pleasure band expanding and after two weeks, it’s absolutely huge. (toilet paper!) It makes one wonder what we overlook now that will be desperately missed after 8 months without.
I don’t think it’s bad to take advantage of and enjoy what we have available, but is a certain type of Pepsi really the only drink that satisfies, or will Coke do just as well, or Root Beer, 7-Up, Orange Juice, water. Looking at the stories of Abraham and Isaac, the rich young ruler, Mary pouring oil worth a year’s work on Christ’s feet, it all seems to suggest that everything is good for our use, the snow is for our viewing pleasure, a job for our enjoyment (like it or not, according to the same speaker, we are hardwired to work), as is a house, a family, a Pepsi. Everything is for us as long as we are willing to give it up when asked. It’s when we cling on too tightly that the stuff becomes too important and I think it’s wise that we are advised not to let that happen, because stuff vanishes as quickly and mysteriously as it comes. I think it’s for our protection that we are warned to not find our identity in that which can sneak up on us, shake up our definition of reality and then melt away. This place won’t last, so I’d like to enjoy it while it’s here and willingly let go when it’s time to move on.
