The Privilege of Enjoying Snow
Photos of snow days are all over Instagram – in fact, anywhere you look on social media at the moment. Scotland and some other parts of the UK are enjoying a fresh dump of deep, powdery, snow, that is forecast to last for at least another day.
Snow days are way less common now than they used to be in the 1800’s, when lakes routinely froze over and a ‘Frost fair’ was held on the river Thames. These days, snow is a bit of a novelty, even where I live in the Highlands of Scotland. I love snow and have posted my fair share of snow shots over the last couple of days. This post was going to be about enjoying snow, having fun, grabbing a childlike lens and forgetting about the woes of winter. The thing is, I was thinking that it’s actually the lack of worries, that mean we get to enjoy the snow in the first place.
If your work has been cancelled and you won’t get paid, if you’re someone who clears snow for others and needs to drive into work, if the school has been shut and you don’t have childcare, then snow is not going to be your friend. If you’re elderly or house-bound and rely on others for care and support you may be worried that no one will get to you; you may be afraid to go out in case you fall; if you struggle to heat your home in a normal winter, you’ll be desperately worried about the cost of doing so in a sub-zero one. And what about people on the margins, the homeless, the refugees, the mentally unwell? People who may not be equipped to deal with freezing temperatures. It’s a scary scenario when someone can literally freeze to death.
When you’re out walking or sledging, making snowmen with your children and generally having fun, make the most of it. This sort of snowfall doesn’t happen that often and even adults should kick back and enjoy some snow-time, but also spare a thought for those who see the white stuff as a threat – something to be feared, not enjoyed. Check in on your neighbours and make sure they’re warm enough and have supplies; clear someone’s path for them or grit your local slope. It could make the difference between someone fearing the snowfall and feeling a bit more secure in the knowledge that someone is looking out for them.
Photo copyright Debbie M Ross