As I read Laura Ingalls Wilder's, The Long Winter, to my fourth graders, we are experiencing a simliar situation. As in the harsh winter of 1880-1881, every few days, we find fresh flakes and more often than not, the prairie wind to accompany them. Although the simliarities cease there. We are not short on coal, kerosene, or food. Reading of the trials the pioneers endured is a clear reminder of how fortunate we are. This year, the snow is ample to say the least. Many South Dakotans get discouraged with every new dusting of powder, but at our house, we relish in it. All the more to play in! My family and I find great delight in winter sports like skating, skiing, and snowmobiling. It provides a positive outlook on what some consider the worst weather cycle to endure. While many complain, we sheepishly admit that we're tickled with each forecast and delivery of more snow. I see each season as a reminder to enjoy the present, for the past is unchangeable and the future remains unknown. Winter, without a doubt, can be perilous, yet, still a most magical time of the year. All too soon, the snow will melt away, warm breezes will greet us, and we'll move on to daffodils. Ecclesiastes 3 "To every thing there is a season..."
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