The sun sets on another day…
IT was rainy, or was it? The snow popped in and out, followed by rain, sleet and other ugliness. A still smiled knowing high above, beauty still reigned.
And there was ice. It’s kind of funny seeing the ice all over the place. I knew it was coming and still as I walked outside right after sunset my truck was encrusted in a translucent case. I wasn’t going to go out anyway.
When weather comes in we often wonder what to do but sometimes that weather is self-evident. We should all work to save ourselves and those people that are important to us. There is nothing more important than those lives that help define us every day.
When the ice came, I stayed inside. I’ve driven on ice before in the thought I was doing the right thing. It happened like this:
many years ago when I was in college I thought I was in love with a beautiful young lady. She had hair that was spun obsidian and to me she was consistently beautiful. She lifted the dorms and I lived at home. I saw her when I could and went to McVey Hall to tutor her all that I could and help her pass computer science. One very interesting February I got sick. My fever went up higher and higher and I called to talk to her, remember this is pre cell phone. As we talked I felt a longing and wanted to be there for her. I knew I was ill but I missed her and wanted to go anyway.
It turned out there was a major ice storm and almost everything was covered with ice. I let my car run until the windows were clear and knew that I would find a way to get there. Everyone said no but her. She needed help with her homework and I had done my homework in a matter of minutes before I left class. I got in the car running a fever of about 102 and started driving. I realized pretty quickly I had forgotten my glasses and although I could see some blurriness I really couldn’t see well, that didn’t matter. I got 200 feet and the car slid to the side of the road as though it was parked, I could not go forward or reverse because the ice was so slippery. Somewhere in the middle of it all logic took over and I turned the car off, got out and walked home. The ice had won.
When I got back to the house I called and tried to explain and a moment later all of the classes at the university were closed. She noted it was OK and I nodded off to sleep only waking to try to cool my fever off. I look back at that and realize the ice always wins. I thought about that today and stayed home instead of trying anything else.
Do you have a story about the ice? Have you been stuck before in an ice storm? Are you safe or do you push the envelope? I suppose I do a little of both.
So as the sun sets on another day, it’s a much better idea to stay off the ice. I hope you’re safe and I hope as the days go on you will stay safe unless you can’t. Ice makes it pretty but it’s also pretty dangerous. Find a way to walk in between, no matter what.
Sleep sweet, love life, and stay warm…