First, this invasion of Canadian frigid weather has lasted for a longer time than usual. We have been hit for a day or so along the way but never over such an extended period. The question became when are we going to find relief? As I write on Tuesday night it appears there are going to be warmer days in our life by the time you read this.
A confession is in order here; I like cold weather. It gives a feeling of quietness and stillness to find a reason to be inside and to either not be able to go outside or have to go outside. Then, I am conscious of those who by reason of their job and their job’s obligations must find a way to get outside their houses and perform duties to insure safety, health, protection, food, and warm shelter for given communities.
The inclusion of warm shelter above causes a deep realization of the blessing most in our area enjoy. Many do not have the assurance of warm shelter. Knowing many human beings are cold when we are warm can be a cause for both a feeling of thankfulness and instill within us a moral responsibility to lift up our eyes to see the needy and reach out with a helping hand.
The extreme cold weather brings a multitude of troubles, heartaches and sorrows. Physical ruin accompanies these extreme weather conditions. There are untold house fires, many caused by the effort to keep families warm by building bigger fires that finally get out of control. The stories of ruin by frozen and busted pipes are common.
Then there is the toll taken on human life. All of our hearts are touched by the story of the two young men of Dacula breaking through the ice of a frozen pond and drowning. I saw their pictures on TV and hurt realizing here were some young men simply wanting to have a little fun and enjoy life. The stories of their fellow students and their sorrow as they went back to Dacula Middle School was heart wrenching.
It was back on Thanksgiving weekend in 1950 that my cousins from Tifton and I pursued the same joy of life as these young men. A bitter cold along with snow invaded North Georgia.
On Peters Street in front of what was then the George Fox home and now owned by the Dallas Holcomb family is a little pond. The pond was frozen over in a good and solid way.
It was a Southern Boy’s great delight to be able to see snow and on top of that, to walk on that frozen pond, was beyond our imaginations and dreams. But walk and slide we did. We could hear the ice crack but it never came close (or at least we thought) to breaking.
That pond is never passed by me until this day that I don’t think of that weekend. I think of the danger to which we exposed ourselves and offer thanks for not suffering harm. My heart and prayers reach out to those families in Dacula.
Years ago, exception was taken to Yankees who come South and make fun of Southerners when it snows or roads freeze and we close schools.
They laugh at us about letting an inch or so of snow closing schools and businesses. They brag about how they have a foot and more of snow and things proceed as normal. They talk about how they are used to driving on icy roads and we can’t handle a little snow and ice.
There isn’t enough space for me to take up all the ridiculous statements made along with my response. Let me say they can’t handle a car on ice any better than anyone else. I recall the TV news last fall when the first cold with snow and ice hit the Midwest and Northern States. There were abundant scenes of wrecks and news of school closings.
Let me tell you that a car will handle on a sheet of ice the same as on ice a foot thick. A Yankee’s car will not stop any better, handle any surer, or turn more correct than anyone else’s car on an icy road, wherever that road might be. It is my conviction that the law of physics is the same in Michigan as it is in Georgia.
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