Winter Blues? Nah...

Today our highest temperature is predicted to be 8 degrees, and that is our best case scenario.  The craziest part of that is that 8 degrees is downright toasty compared to our -40 temps last week.  (Although I will share that as I stood outside my van trunk rooting around for my open house signs today, I was feeling decidedly not toasty.)  And yet, these are just Iowa winters.  As much as I love living here, I pretty much hate the cold.  I'm not unique in that sentiment-I have yet to encounter a corridor resident who enjoys the arctic weather.  

I do have to say this though.  We all know that "Iowa nice" is a thing. It just is. Even cooler?  I have seen that concept completely reinforced during this winter.  Let me give you a few examples:

1.) The city workers who worked tirelessly to clear our streets and make it as safe as possible for residents to get to their destinations in the best conditions they could manage. 

2.) The school districts who made the difficult, but ultimately wisest decision to cancel or delay schools when it was clear that students' lives could be in danger if allowed out in snowy, icy, or freezing conditions.  They get a lot of flack, but I can't imagine having those types of choices to make.

3.) The schools, who realizing that the school-provided breakfasts and lunches that some students receive may be the only food they get in a day, banded together with the community to provide meals and bags of food to distribute.  

4.) Shelters, churches, and businesses who provided space and/or funds to provide extra shelter/provisions to protect the homeless population during these dangerous nights. 

This small list isn't at all comprehensive and doesn't include the many, many acts of kindness and service performed by individuals who care about our community and neighbors, and wanted to make sure as few people as possible suffered through all of this. I'll never be a winter-lover, but I'll forever stay impressed and inspired by the "Iowa-nice" actions that populate this season.  

Go Iowa!