Life Notes: Snowmeggeden January 2016

Life Notes: Snowmeggeden January 2016

The Northeast just endured one humdinger of a snowstorm.
The weather service named this whopper Jonas.
Weird to give a name to a weather event, but that is the custom.
Whatever we call this monster of a snow – everyone has been effected.

Where I live, in Jackson Heights, we had 34 inches of snow.
Absolutely beautiful to look at, play in, but not fun to get around in, or
attempt to travel in, or get yourself to work in.

The clean up has been slow – lots of excuses by officials but still no sound
of snow plows on the secondary streets.
Calls to 311 and lots of complaints.
Eventually the street will get cleared either by snowplow, shoveling or the predicted rain and
warmer temperatures.

How does a resilient person live optimally in such a severe storm?
Reasonably!
We listen to the information given by the news.
We don’t go into denial.
We get the supplies we need.
We accept that we may have to cancel plans.
We find ways to spend our free time constructively and not by overeating, getting high on drugs
or alcohol, endlessly texting or playing video games or withdrawing away from others.

How about calling friends, connecting with family, reading, going for a walk once the weather
calms down, taking photos of the snow, playing in the snow, meditating, reading, cleaning out
that closet, drawer or whatever chore that you have been postponing for a year?
Or doing something that will bring you closer to yourself and to others.

Every experience offers us lessons about life.
Living optimally means having the ability to discern the lesson.
When I was a graduate student in Buffalo I learned many powerful lessons about living
during epic snowstorms-
I learned the wisdom of letting go!
I learned that winter is bigger than I am.

We live in a culture that is obsessed with mastering nature.
Well superstorm storm Jonas is a major reminder that
we are not in control of everything.
We need to remember this truth-
A first step to cultivating resilience.
Enjoy the snow- Seize The Day- Carpe Diem

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