Fourteen Inches of Opportunity
"In the bleak midwinter, snow on snow, snow on snow." That's how the old song goes, and peering out the picture window, I identified completely. "Arrgh!" I grumbled to no one in particular, "fourteen inches of obligation!" My kids looked out the same window. "Yippee!!" they shouted, and rushed to put on their snow clothes. For them it was fourteen inches of opportunity! Same snow -- two completely different perspectives. I wish I could be more like my kids. I wish, my first response to winter would be snow angels rather than shovels. When severe adulthood squeezes out childish play, the snow becomes an unpleasant burden. Snow on snow on snow. The other day I muttered something about "bleak midwinter" to my wife Cathy. She rebuked me gently. "It's not so bleak, honey. In fact, it's like a beautiful post card out there! Just look, the snow sparkles like diamonds!" I guess it is true that beauty lies in the eyes of th...