The news down this way has almost melted. We have a little bit of a snowboy trying to
hang on in our front yard, but after 65 degrees this afternoon, he will be
gone. In relation to the southern
snowstorm, there have been articles written this week about: politicians’ lack
of common sense and general incompetence; teachers’ dedication and kindness to
stranded students; southerners’ lack of driving skills; and, those who cared
for and reached out to those who were stranded.
It’s funny to me how people want to blame politicians for
the weather and its fall out. Atlanta
experienced an unfortunately timed wintry mix earlier this week; we in Augusta
were waiting and hoping for a few flakes to play in. No matter when the winter arrived, I fail to
see how the governor or other politicians are to blame. It was a matter of bad timing on the part of the
gods of weather, businesses, government, and schools. Of course, wherever you may live, it is
probably de rigueur to blame others for whatever inconvenient or scary occurrences
people encounter. How about a little
less of blame-mongering and a little more of: well, this is life?
New reporters’ surprise at teachers’ dedication always
surprises me. Teachers stayed overnight
at schools with stranded students in and around Atlanta this past week. Of course they did. That’s the kind of people the majority of
teachers are. I’m annoyed that our
society still marginalizes and vilifies teachers in so many subtle ways. Teachers are not people whose work days end
at 3:30 and who want summers off. Teachers
do so much more than anyone thinks they do, and they are continually on call
for staying overnight in a snow storm or bolting their doors against school
intruders. I fail to understand why
positive news stories about teachers are more surprising than the negative
ones. I guess it goes back to the old
saying, “If teachers walked on water, the headline would read ‘Teachers refuse
to swim.’”
I have lived in the South for almost fourteen years. It is true that many southerners have no idea
how to drive in the snow or on ice. The
reason for that would be (drumroll): the winters are mild down this way. There’s very little ice and snow. But really, who cares? How is this observation an indictment of
southern people? It’s not. I lived for 33 years in the Midwest and there
are plenty of people up that way who careen off ice covered roads and end up in
ditches when snow falls. Really, it is
those folks who should be shamed (if, in fact, anyone should be) about poor
winter driving skills. It is always harder
to do something that you have little experience with – how about a little
compassion?
Also, littering newsfeeds and feel-good story slots were the
tales of those who housed strangers, who brought hot chocolate to the
bumper-to-bumper interstate, who put their four-wheel drive vehicles to
use. Not a few of my southern friends touted
such acts as “southern hospitality.” I
beg to differ. Such acts are noble,
kind, caring, but they have nothing to do with “southern hospitality.” Such acts are borne of the thought patterns
and generosity of human beings, regardless of where they grew up or currently
reside. Not everyone thinks to go out of
his way to help others, but to be sure, there is no more or no less of such “hospitality”
in the South than anywhere else. Human
beings have the capacity for great and small acts of kindness, and the snow reminded
us of that this week.
Two inches of snow brought out the best in people around
Atlanta. Two inches of snow brought out
some idiocy in our news commentators.
Two inches of snow caused a major city to shut down. But, two inches of snow might just serve to
remind us to embrace all parts of life, even the inconvenient ones; to
remember that human beings are often decent and generous; and, to recall that
we all are really linked in so many more ways that we care to admit.
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