Did Your Snow Days Bring Darkness?

I am so surprised by the number of people that have expressed how "tired they are of being stuck at home". The disclosure has been more than the usual cabin fever itches. I certainly understand the want and need to receive the daylight. The people that I have communicated with are actually uncomfortable with the solitude, the loneliness, and the quietness. That in itself speaks volumes about the shallow depth of human psyche. Sadly, it also indicates how much we have moved away from Aboriginal traditions. Meaningless Modernity (reality television) has conquered Spiritual Simplicity (meditation).


The mind can recklessly wonder when there is nothing to do. It can play tricks on you too - but the plus that should be gained during Snow Days is way more valuable than having something to do. Also, it has been noted for years that a whole lot of sexual intercourse is had during inclement weather. I remember while serving in the Eastern Caribbean how the population rose nine months after a hurricane. Go have sex!

Returned Peace Corps volunteers talk all the time about their service abroad...Sometimes too damn much! The common denominator in their story telling is their initial struggle with 'having nothing to do'. That Nothing has been known to early terminate the experience of living and serving overseas. However, in time while truly living in small villages in Botswana and other Peace Corps host countries the returned Peace Corps volunteers grew to appreciate The Nothing. It is during those very moments of Nothing that these men and women from all walks of life conducted an inventory reflection. For some that Nothing has literally made them better and/or saved their lives. For me, my life was finally put into context with the help of Buddhist Chant and Meditation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1evxMA7yYw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR3dM-GlZK8&feature=related

When was the last time outside of two minutes after the clock striking midnight on New Year’s Eve that you 'took some stock'? Really examined the inventory within your life reservoir? This is always a challenge for me!

Like the Peace Corps volunteers serving all over this world - as I typed are doing and as you read - we (us bored Americans) should sit in the dark. Actually, some Peace Corps volunteers live without indoor plumbing and electricity for 27 months or more. They are living like the people:

Then you have those ‘pussy-foot’ volunteers who lived LARGE:

That would be me…

Sitting in Darkness is Doing Something. It is an opportunity for us to make every attempt to SEE ourselves in the Dark.

What did you see over the past three Snow Days? Or, did you avoid The Darkness? If you did, you may have just missed out on Doing Something.

Oh! You could have used your imagination too; I went for a swim.

Muata Nowe