Snow Driving

It was just about a week ago that I woke to snow falling soft and steady. It wasn't bitter cold, but it was the type of winter day that promised a slow, patient rise in the snowdrifts and the inescapable erasure of footprints and sidewalks. The path my husband had shoveled to free his car that morning was all but invisible by the time I peeked out at the driveway. Somewhere out in the haze of snowflakes, snow day magic whispered. There's beauty and comfort in an unstoppable snowfall when there's nowhere you have to go. As luck would have it, I had scheduled a vacation day, so I was in no rush, but there was a slate of errands I needed to accomplish in the precious free time. After a few chores around the house, I peeked again and noted that the carapace was still thickening on my car with no sign of slowing. Wait too much longer, and I might not be able to escape the driveway. Running those errands certainly wasn't going to get any easier. So I dug out and started my trek through the snowstorm.

People in the Midwest aren't strangers to snow driving. Sure, the first big storm of the winter can rattle some, but by mid-January, few are slowed by less than a raging blizzard. Guiding a vehicle through icy streets takes a different sort of focus than the simple fair-weather skill, but by this stage of the season, you instinctively drop into the relaxed concentration the journey requires. It's a lot like piloting a boat. You glide on the surface of the snow, slush or ice. You float and drift. Precision is impossible. Planning and forethought are vital, while the ability to change those plans in an instant is equally as important.

As I turned a corner, fishtailing uncontrollably, I realized how little control a driver actually has in that situation. Continuing as I had intended was out of the question. My priority now was avoiding other cars and the ditch until the chaos subsided. Panicking and slamming on the brakes or trying to force the vehicle to comply with my wishes wasn't going to work. Only patient, subtle adjustments and acceptance would see me through. Winter driving is all about making the best of where you are now, even when where you are seems to be a crash course with a mailbox.

I managed the aftermath of my slippery turn without damage to vehicles or mailboxes. My footing regained, I continued on my way. There were still things that needed to be done. As I went from place to place on my list of errands, I was struck by how many other cars were on the treacherous roads, how many others had decided to brave the storm to do very ordinary things. Despite all our yearnings for a snow day, few were taking advantage of the opportunity. The practical Midwest mindset won out.

The reality of the situation is that while snow days are great, if we took them at every opportunity, nothing would get done. Life keeps moving like a car in a snowstorm. You have to be ready to adapt to the unexpected skids, be thankful you didn't hit anything, and continue on your way. Take the snow days when you need them, but don't be afraid of a little snow driving.

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