Frozen?!?

As a Midwestern girl, I am no stranger to the bitter cold that comes with winter. I'm likely to see snow five months out of the year. This year, however, Jack Frost has been especially unkind. Even some of the warmer regions have been victims of the Polar Vortex - the latest weather phenomenon that has kept the news buzzing. I haven't seen temperatures this cold since I was in my early teens, roughly 20 years ago. We've likely seen the worst of it now but, this week, we face another round of snow and temps dipping below zero. Through it all, I've found myself asking, "Is all this Polar Vortex hype worth it?"

Strictly speaking from a scientific standpoint, it's obviously important to pay attention to weather patterns and understand what's going on with our planet. It's still the only one we have. On top of that, there's no doubt the danger that comes with getting stranded in this frigid weather. Precautions should definitely be taken. I have no intention of arguing either of those things. However, I do think we have allowed some of the hype to instill fear in us. And, well, I'll just say it...we've become wimps as we enter into adulthood.

With the news of the Polar Vortex on the horizon, schools and workplaces began announcing their closings. I'm all for keeping the kids safe...adults, too, if jobs permit. For those, like me, who still had to venture out into the cold, we had to do so under the hype of how it would feel and what might happen. Articles popped up on how to prepare yourself, with such things as not allowing flesh to touch metal for fear of freezing in seconds, or covering your mouth to protect your lungs from experiencing problems. I'll admit, I succumbed to some of that fear and wanted to hibernate beneath the warmth of my down comforter. But when I put on my big girl snow pants, my first reaction was, "Is this it...really?"

I slowly opened the door, half expecting an arctic blast to knock me over, and almost experienced a letdown. There was no white air swirling around me. I was not sharply gasping for a breath. The cold didn't rip through me or settle into my bones. In fact, I probably felt warmer than I have in a long time. Why? It's simple - I dressed for it! It's amazing what a hat, earmuffs, scarf, mittens, long underwear, and boots can do. They can actually keep you warm! Who knew?

Let's face it - we all knew that that. Anyone who grew up in a region with regular cold winters knew that. Yet, as adults, we forget. We forget the hours we spent outdoors playing in our winter wonderland. We forget that rush we feel when someone white washes our face in snow. (You know you've been there!). We forget how hot we get running around during snowball fights. It's to the point that we actually peel off some of our gear until we turn into shivering little icicles forced to finally come in by our parents, who have lured us into the house with piping hot chocolate.

Somehow, we see gloves, scarves, and all that other stuff as overprotective, instead of protective. We rebel against being bundled up like we had to be as kids and dress as though it's a fall day. Even though some of us may still insist on bundling up the little ones, we don't value giving ourselves the same kind of care. When was the last time most adults wore a pair of earmuffs, for example, on a daily basis? How often have you seen a guy break out the shorts on a December day? What about a woman wearing heels and a short skirt? How many of us our guilty of even skipping a coat and letting a sweatshirt pass as our outerwear? We all seem to do it for different reasons, but the reality is that we've tried to ignore our environment.

Again, I want to stress that freezing cold temperatures reaching in the double digits below zero should not be taken lightly. My point is simply that we shouldn't allow ourselves to get caught up in the media hype that's looking to sell as much of a story as they possibly can. When you step outside, the scene will not look like it came straight out of Disney's "Frozen" movie. If the day calls for you to brave the cold, then you can do so, and you can do it warmly. All you need are a few essentials that may have gotten lost somewhere back in your childhood.

Whatever this winter brings, whether the Polar Vortex rears its ugly head again or not, stay warm!

Love,
Lizzie