Hoping for a White Christmas This Year

Snow is real, you see. It falls out of the sky at its own whim. You can slip on it and hurt yourself. You can wreck your car if you aren’t careful. Your postal carrier or Amazon delivery person can slip on your walk, if it isn’t shoveled, and you may be sued.

In the heartland, though, we don’t panic. We pick up shovels and clear our sidewalks, then do the same for our elderly neighbors. We plan ahead. We prepare.

We have a tremendous capacity to think and act based on a dying concept called common sense - the ability to assess situations and make sensible decisions.

And because we’re prepared for the reality of snow falling from the heavens, we’re able to understand the wonderful lesson that snow teaches us.

Snow reminds us that despite all of our innovations and technologies, we cannot control much of what happens in life. All we can control is how we respond to what happens.

Snow humbles us. It keeps our common sense in good working order. We know that sweeping government restrictions and mandates - even if they have good intentions - produce many unintended consequences.

We know that the more that government stays out of our lives - the more we are free to make decisions about what is best for ourselves and our families’ well-being - the better off we all are.

Snow tells us to slow down a little bit, reflect on what is most important in our lives - our loved ones - and take a break from the unending difficulties and challenges that have lingered throughout this year.

That’s why we sure could use another nice coating of snow. And that’s why I’m hoping for a white Christmas this year!

Copyright 2020 Tom Purcell. Tom Purcell, author of "Misadventures of a 1970's Childhood," a humorous memoir available at amazon.com, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. For info on using this column in your publication or website, contact Sales@cagle.com or call (805) 969-2829. Send comments to Tom at Tom@TomPurcell.com.