Wisdom from watching the weather from my windows

We experienced it all within 72 hours — snow, hail, high winds, thunder, lightning, floods, tornado warnings … and sunshine.

As I dashed about life, I couldn’t help notice that the weather is a metaphor for life. By Wednesday, I made a few “notes to myself” of the lessons of wisdom I gained by watching the weather from various windows.

Stop and make time

On the way to attempt to make my yoga class on time (the one I haven’t been to in three months) I was entranced by the winter wonderland of snow atop the pines and wooded area as I drove down our driveway. I instantly put the car into park midway down our drive and got out to allow my senses to embrace the scenery, which I knew would be melted by afternoon.

The snow sat heaped perfectly atop each slat of our teak wooden bench and the background of trees but the carpet of neon olive-green moss lay uncovered in the sunshine. The blanket of snow with the sun shining reminded me of the famous Claude Monet painting “The Magpie,” painted in 1869. (And no, I did not make my yoga class, but I did do 45 minutes on the elliptical.)

Don’t be stupid

It should have been a warning when it took me 25 minutes to get from County Line Road to Banta Road via U.S. 31 on Tuesday morning. When I turned into my office complex and saw the two huge, metal office complex trash receptacles floating through the parking lot, I knew I would not be parking in my regular spot because it was covered with rushing water from an overflowing creek. I parked on the high side of the building to avoid the water, but noticed later a metallic blue crossover vehicle attempted to drive through the water in the lower parking lot and was now floating in the direction of the trash receptacles — kind of like a casual creek regatta.

Enjoy

As I edited some writing for an annual report, I couldn’t help notice movement from the corner of my eye. Two Canadian geese were preening, playing and swimming in the water that had overflowed from the creek — what used to be our parking lot was temporarily their water park a mere 15 feet from my office window.

Listen to others

It was two weeks ago, that I realized as I was leaving work that the creek behind work was flowing north — (and yes, I have been working there for six months without paying attention to the water flow.) I went home and ask the hubby why would it be flowing north, when the White River is obviously flowing in the correct southern direction. He mumbled something quite intelligent about gravity, physics and at some point the creek must flow toward a low point. But the guy that was watching the floating blue car, (the same guy that has worked at this office complex since 1980), simplified it for me: “Yes, this creek is one of the few in Indiana that flows north — up north it actually winds around and begins to flow south.”

Thanks guy, I can sleep better tonight.

Roll with the change

We all know, as Hoosiers enduring our beloved ever-changing weather, that we can do nothing but endure it and roll with the change. Sometimes we cry — and sometimes we just laugh at it.

Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].