Have you ever noticed that up north it snows sideways? In the south, snow comes down like a trickle of quiet happiness....hanging on every moment. But snow in the north is angry, blustery, sideways snow. As I was driving through the back roads of Marquette, Michigan, I noticed that the snow isn't balanced neatly on top of the tree branches. It is stacked from the ground to the top of the tree only on one side. There certainly isn't a lack of fluffy white stuff. Every tree, every branch, every hanging limb of pine has snow on it. It's beautiful. It's hush. It's like a painting.
It was dawn and we were racing the clock to make it to the runway before another blizzard hit the Upper Peninsula. The sun was covered by snowy clouds, but the glow gave a grey light that lighted up the sky. We passed a ski slope and as the parking lot was full, I looked up the hill to see several dozen skiers hitting the slopes before work. The ski lifts were chugging along as fast as they could. It is a different world here.
Small town America. I grew up in small town America. I went to college in small town America. I don't think that it is until you move away from small town America that you appreciate everything it has to offer. Marquette being one of these towns. Everyone is friendly, everyone lends a helping hand, and everyone chips in for the greater being of their community. If only everyone was required to live in small town America for part of their lives.....I can't help but think the world would be a better place. A much quieter, kinder place. Imagine.
