Weather amuck

It’s gloom and doom in some places.  Death-defying arctic blast in New York and Chicago.  Frigid temperatures in some cities in the Midwest.  Katrina-like conditions in Australia.  The good news is that the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow!  But can we believe that Spring is just around the corner?

Although the thought seems far-fetched in the climatic-challenged places, it’s most likely true because many times, much difficulty precedes a breakthrough. I’m sure that the blizzard affected places will soon overcome their temporary inconvenience.  I’ve been there.  During my blizzard experience, although I thought that the snowfall might never end, the skies soon cleared, the weather warmed up, the snow melted, and our piece of the world looked lovely again.

It is when we experience harsh and even brutal challenges that something wonderful is bound to happen in our lives.  We need to run into walls so that we can feel gratitude for the graces we’ve been enjoying, but not quite being thankful for. Isn’t it the undeniable truth that we don’t appreciate what we have until we’re about to lose or have lost what we have?

I’m sure that people in the arctic blasted areas can’t wait for the sun to come out.  Where I am, single digit weather has become the norm this week.  But just as the rainbow comes after the rain, I know that the sun will come out soon to make everything right again.  Dolly Parton said so herself:  “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”  That’s what I want to say to Australia right now!  Thank goodness, my former boss who lives there is away on a cruise and is spared from any worries!

It’s possible that next week, the blizzard… the arctic temperatures… the furious rains… will all be part of a memory.  In the meantime, it is my hope that people where the weather has gone wild will take a moment to say a prayer.  Not only to ask for help with their situation, but specially to say thanks for the blessing of what they’re going through.  When bad weather comes, it’s because it came for a reason.  Who knows, just like Spring, the season of harvest is just around the bend.  All we can do is believe.