Burr. It’s so cold! How long is this winter going to last? These are the questions flying around our community recently.
Answers, at least my responses, are definitely a matter of perspective. Here’s why. This long-time resident of Saskatchewan wants to (and sometime does) counter in these words: “Cold, you don’t know anything about cold. Why I remember the times when it was -40 and I sat curled up on the chesterfield with a cup of tea in hand, a book on my lap and an admiring glance at the beauty of the snow.”
As to how long it’s going to last: up to five to six months?
Then, there’s the other part of me that’s now resided for nearly two decades in the warmer part of British Columbia: “I know what you mean about cold, I can’t seem to warm up these days. The rain is cold and the grey, smothering and almost depressing. I sure hope the weather changes soon, we can hardly see the green grass under that covering of snow and the sidewalks are icy. Burr!! They say it might snow again tomorrow. How long is this winter going to last!”
The temperature we’re discussing? It’s a mind-numbing -10C and we’ve approximately 10 inches of the white stuff. Now, perhaps, you can see why the evaluations are so radically different. What does make the big difference, though, is perspective. Living somewhere that’s known for its fierce winters is totally different than living in a moderate, coastal environment.
God’s Word cautions us about perspective: Let’s be careful we don’t judge just because we think our challenges are hardest.
“Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly].” Matthew 7:1
PS: -10 Celsius is 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our snow is gone now.
