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Snowed In

We had a huge snow-storm yesterday giving both J and I an unexpected Monday holiday. She has been waiting for a big pile of snow for years now - in my neck of the woods it is a big deal to get even half an inch of it. The kids in the neighborhood get all excited and try to go sledding on it. It is cute and sad sight to watch- sad because this place used to get a lot of snow even a few years ago but that was before most of these kids were born. They have no memories of snow in winter.

I don't know about the sceptics but this does look like climate change to me and one that is happening very rapidly. But today they had their longing for real snow answered. J's face lit up with joy when she looked outside her window in the morning and saw the thick pelt of white over everything - this was more snow than she has seen in a long while. It is like the stuff they have on Christmas cards and in movies. Now it was right outside her door-step to feel, touch and enjoy.

While she was out in the balcony playing in the snow, a couple of elderly neighbors walked by and asked if they could take her out for a walk with them. Turned out to be a perfect way for J to enjoy snow because I was not very anxious to go out in such blustery weather though I might have in the end for J's sake. Surprisingly enough, I did not see a single kid all day. After hoping, praying and dreaming of snow for years, I wondered why no one came out to make the most of the day's unexpected bounty.

Maybe they have the lackluster parents like myself to blame - but that seems implausible given the culture of fun that has pervaded my neighborhood for as long as I have lived here. Maybe it is the hard-times that have dampened people's spirits. People walked their dogs and took out their trash every once in a while I never saw a child all day long. Whatever the reason, I found it really odd not to see children outside playing in snow, building the snowmen they have wanted to for so long.
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Vikas Gupta said…
I have seen snow only in movies! :(
9:02 AM
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