Mile High and Dry

Wow! Imagine waking up to four to five inches of fresh snow on April 27th. Just a few days ago while flying into metropolitan Denver, I was delighted to see “the last” fresh snow on the Rocky Mountains. It was a delightful 77 degrees in Denver when we landed and I felt silly in my heavy long-sleeved shirt. The balmy weather made me long for my hibernating shorts and sandals. However, it never crossed my mind that snow would blanket the metro area while I slept last night. Guess I won’t mow my son’s lawn before I leave as I had planned.
It was just last week back home in Pennsylvania that I finally had the snow plow removed from my lawn tractor in order to mow our lawn. In fact, today Facebook broadcasts my friend’s complaint of a Pennsylvania “heat wave” and even one unfortunate air conditioner failure. How to dress is a real dilemma for my trip home today. Snow and a heat wave in the same day-amazing.
It’s fascinating to visually capture the fresh flakey snow floating down over a slumbering suburb. Such a peaceful bliss. For me the snow is a delightful treat and a neat thing. There is no pressure to go anywhere other than to the airport a little later in the day. I am unencumbered and enjoying all this.
I realize that an unexpected snowfall isn’t perceived as a good thing to many other folks today. To some it’s bad. An outdoor wedding wouldn’t be out of the question a few days before May Day. The folks at the retirement center won’t be able to slip outdoor to kibitz and perhaps snooze in the sunlight on their favorite bench. School field trips and outdoor track meets may be in jeopardy. Construction workers certainly won’t welcome this. This morning many excited pre-school tots won’t be liberated for an eagerly anticipated outdoor recess.
Perhaps I may be in a minority in thinking of this snow as a treat. Many good folks anticipated and possibly even prayed for something totally different. For some, I guess this snow would be defined as “bad” even though it is good to me and is, to use an old cliché, “an act of God.” Thinking of them, the age old thought that so many of us ask popped into my mind : “Why do bad things (such as snow) happen to good people?”
I can’t answer that question. However, based on my experience as a former resident of the “Mile High City” for many years, I do have a thought about this snow that may give insight. I know that being in a high place virtually assures me that there will be no remaining traces of snow by noon. (note: in fact it was totally gone) You see I’ve learned that the altitude and climate where I reside often determines how long these inevitable snowstorms ( and other things) affect me. Even though there is a lot of snow and for some of us it is unpleasant, it seldom lasts here. No wonder we enjoyed living in the high and dry Denver area so much. Perhaps being in high places has more merit than I realize when the unexpected inevitable storms come.