A T-shirt would be a fun. One that says “I Survived the Polar Vortex 2014” on the front. And on the back we could write down all the strange, funny things we had to do to make it through this incredibly long, will-it-ever-end winter.
Seriously, folks did have to use all their resources and inner wisdom to solve some of the problems with the cold.
Whether it was depending on a friend’s garden hose for water because the kitchen pipes froze or finally figuring out which scarf keeps the wind from biting off your face, ingenuity was the name of the daily survival game.For sports fans, the Sault once more gave spark to winter events.
Congrats to the Sault’s 16-year- old St Basil’s student, Mac Marcoux. He won Paralympic gold and two bronze for visually impaired skiing.The young athlete, the youngest of Canada’s Paralympians, showed amazing maturity and common sense when he had to face some difficult disappointments. When his brother BJ couldn't lead him down the hill, Mac praised his bro. He indicated that even though BJ wouldn't be the one skiing in front of him, BJ was the one that got him there in the first place. And then when his radio communicator disabled just before his run, Marcoux followed Robin Femy, his brother’s replacement lead skier, with the calm resolve of “I hope and pray I make it down”.
The youthful Marcoux exhibited how the world opens up if we can take the time to “see”. The small birds, like the finches, are one example. We have had quite a few at our feeder for most of this 2014. In January, during the minus 30 C days, the lively friends hop from seed to seed, singing away, their little bodies somehow withstanding the cold. Now that the winter is waning, their greyish hue is turning to the brilliant reds and yellows that so distinguishes the males from the females. No digital calendar or app tells the birds to become more colourful. The finches just have the will to do so. No doubt the sun dictates the change and the new little feathers listen and respond.
Just as plants in the window turn towards the sun, I sometimes find myself watching the passage of our old sol. On the massive expanse of frozen Lake Superior, the movements of light can be dramatic. As the sun rises behind our house, light and shadow dance around the icescape. On a clear morning, first light appears on the horizon as a bright pink line. In no time at all, it then becomes a shimmering white. The shadows in front of this line are a solid mass of blue and black. After a few more minutes the shadow defines itself into the shape of hills, cliffs and trees. Finally, like watching a film develop, I can see recognizable shadow shapes. The flower clump of pine trees and the arrow head of white spruce appear on the frozen lake. Before long, the sun shreds these shadows into a few dark ribbons.
Observing the movement of light and dark turns the world into a simpler place, creates an easier way of being. I had experience this winter with how logic and common sense can diffuse a harried situation. We were on a holiday this winter (yes we escaped for a week to a warm clime). One evening as we queued outside a restaurant for a dinner reservation, a young mother came out of the eatery with a tired, screaming child in her arms. The poor mom was trying to soothe her unhappy daughter and to give distraught fellow diners a break from the crying. We saw her attempting to calm the little girl but to no avail. Then a very simple solution presented itself. All of us waiting outside began to sing Row, row, row your boat. The child stopped wailing and began to hug her mom. The relieved parent re-entered the restaurant, but not before turning to us and mouthing a silent thank you.
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| Spring Equinox sunset |
We are in the home stretch now. On Thursday, March 20, at 12:57 pm, we cheered in 2014’s first day of spring. Like it did for Mac, when he had to navigate the hill at the last minute with no listening device to guide him along, common sense can come to the rescue. Especially when we need it the most. Like that T-shirt. We just have to pray for the warm weather so we can wear it.