Goodbye Winter Blues...

I think this winter has been challenging (to say the least) for most Iowans. There was a lot of ice, snow, wind, rain, fog - you name it, it hit us hard!

But, ever the optimist, I often have thought about how despite it all, Iowa is still a great place to live.

For every man grumbling about picking up sticks, there is a man in a wheelchair looking out his window trying to understand what that must feel like to have full use of your arms and legs.

For every holiday party missed due to a blizzard, there is a woman fighting for our country overseas who has missed her daughter's first words, her nephew's wedding, her husband's birthday, and every single night of bedtime stories and goodnight kisses.

For every person complaining about spending money on snow removal or cleanup, there is a businessman whose smalltown hardware store was literally saved by this year's weather - business has never been better for shovels, snowblowers and ice scrapers.

For every person mad about having to take another day off of work due to the roads, there is a 5 year old at home who cannot contain his excitement of having his working parents home to play one extra day.

For every child complaining about having to add five extra days of school into the summer, there is a child in Africa who walks 10 miles every day to get to school - who'd do ANYTHING to get just one extra day of education and knowledge.

For every teacher mad about having to take time out of their summer or angry about adding an hour to the school day, there is a man who has been out of work for a year, with his retirement savings drained, and 3 mouths to feed - who would take a teacher's job in a heartbeat.

For every complaint about the weather that has been muttered, there is a woman who scooped her elderly neighbor's driveway at 5 a.m.; there is a hospital volunteer who drove slowly on ice-covered roads so that a cancer patient could get new blood; there is a local facility who opened its doors to those without heat or electricity.

For every person who said "not again" when it snowed for the 19th time, there is a set of parents coming home with their newly adopted children who couldn't be happier to show them what snow looks like - and snowmen, and ice skating, and igloos.

For every child who did not think he could survive without electricity, there is a joyful parent who played games with their kids, instead of watching t.v., playing video games or working on the computer.

For every college student furious about the weather ruining their spring break trip, there's a single mom busting her butt working two jobs just to put coins in her jar labeled "Disneyland" that sits on her bedside table.

Yeah, it's been a rough winter. I've had the sung the winter blues plenty of times. I have cursed Mother Nature more times than I can count. I have felt sorry for myself. I have prayed for spring to come early. I have questioned why I live in Iowa.

But, despite it all - there are worse things. And, more importantly, there are so many things we have to be thankful for. Let's not forget those when the next storm hits. Let's just hope it's not too soon!