snow days

After reading about the London snowstorm I remembered my own blessed snow days. Sitting on the stairs leading up to the 2nd floor praying to hear my school's name included in the list of announced closings. And the joyous relief when I realized I had a whole free day to frolic around in the snowdrifts without homework assignments, tests, lectures, sitting still, and keeping quiet. As kids we waited, praying for these rare snow days and I certainly did not grow up feeling that when life was too difficult I could just stay home. On the contrary, I lived the belief that "when the going got tough, the tough got going!" and "No pain, no gain!" It has taken me great effort and more than a few injuries to learn to discern when to push harder and when to back off. And I am still not as good at the discernment art as I will be with a bit more practice.  Consequently, when I read this last paragraph from the Startribune I roared with laughter upsetting my sleeping cat and my Youtubing son.

"Many Londoners noted that bus services had continued through WW2 and paused only for about an hour during the city's 2005 terrorist attack, when four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters on the transit network. Some suggested the British workers had set a poor example for the nation's children. Young Britons may become adults who think that "when things get difficult you should just stay home and have fun," said Margaret Morrissey, of the parenting lobby group Parents Outloud."