"April is (not) the cruelest month"

T.S. Eliot was full of...

Let's just say: he was gravely mistaken. Or he never spent a winter in Michigan.

Everybody here knows that March is the cruelest month. It's long, it's devoid of holidays*, and - at least where I live - winter is NOT over. And it may not be over anytime soon.

Now I know what you're thinking: "Dude, you live in MICHIGAN! You've lived there your whole life - what do you expect?!" Well, admittedly, I expect winter to last nearly forever - but that doesn't make the process any easier. In fact, as I get older, I find more and more people who have (apparently) chosen to live here - but are, in fact, Winter Wimps. These are people who started whining and sniveling about the winter weather IN DECEMBER!! 'Round these here parts, Winter's just getting started in December.

But even for a hardened veteran like me, by the end of March, you just want it to be over. You'd like it to be over sooner - but that's just crazy talk. You're willing to settle for April showers (you know, the ones that bring May flowers) - as long as they are not snow showers.

Why this preoccupation with the weather? I'd like to think it's just an acceptance that there are forces in existence over which we have no control and can't ignore. Yet it seems to be in our nature to control as many things in life as we can and try to ignore the rest. It's like we're all trying to live by the postal motto: "Neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"** We don't want to let anything get in the way of our plans. So we drive our cars as though the freeway is clear and the pavement is dry - even if the freeways is crowded and it's raining or snowing. And we're proud of the fact that we shrug off these inhospitable conditions and go full speed ahead - scoffing at folks who have the good sense to adjust their behaviors to the conditions they encounter. When did adjusting to reality become a bad thing?

The good news is: the high temp hit 57F in Detroit today. Spring may actually be here.

But if I was a betting man: I'd say Winter will have one more shot at us before the cruelty is over.

Take care.



*I know I may get protests to the contrary but - St. Patrick's Day does not count. Any holiday centered around drinking large quantities of green beer cannot be taken seriously.

** This the abbreviated, Laurie Anderson version