Texas is known for heatwaves but not frigid temperatures . Every few years it will drop into the high teens at night for a few hours. But no one was prepared for the attic blast that came and covered most of the state with a thick blanket of ice and snow. No one knows how to drive in these conditions. As evidenced by 134 car pile up leaving 6 dead on a highway coated with freezing rain. Over the next few days, snow blanketed and covered sidewalks and streets. The temperatures continued to drop down into single digits. The news reported it got down to -2 (F) one night. That’s the coldest in my 66 years that I have known it to be. The power gird failed and turning houses and apartments into freezer like conditions and causing pipes to freeze and burst, leaving people without power or water. Estimated over 60 people possibly froze to death.
While the politician’s in office blamed the other political party or even left the country for a warmer climate, everyday people did what they could to help their fellow man. Neighbors checked on neighbors, bringing them food and water. People took people to warming shelters. Restaurants delivered food to them so they had a hot meal. H-E-B a grocery store near Austin told the people to get what they needed when the power went out. People who were fortunate to have power opened their homes to others who were without power. Even virtually schools closed, because of a lack of power. Parents showed their kids how to build snowmen to keep the kids occupied. People sheltered strangers who became friends. More than one plumber on social network offered their services for free, just pay for the parts. Furniture stores opened their doors to shelter people.
Now that we are thawing out, the grocery store shelves have begun filling out again. While the clean up is underway, spring bulbs are pushing through the ground and trees are budding. May the compassion and kindness we experienced during what has been labeled Snow-Vid 2021 be not forgotten but multiplied.
I close with the quote from Hal Borland
“No winter lasts forever,
No spring skips it turn”
