In high school, my AP English Literature class was required to read “How to Read Literature Like a Professor.” While that was well over ten years ago, there is one thing I remember from the book that I still think about when reading and in daily life. 

According to the author, weather is used to convey an atmosphere. 

For instance, rain is never rain in a book. It is usually foreboding, eerie, and a good indication that something negative is coming. In a murder mystery, the murder usually occurs that night. The same can be said for movies. 

However, snow conveys an entirely different meaning. A blanket of snow is a clean start, possibly even a pure beginning. 

I couldn’t help but think about this as the snow-covered Thomasville and much of the south on Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. 

Monday was an Inauguration Day, but unfortunately, it was polarizing. I saw people excited on social media, while others said they feared for the days to come and felt unsafe in this new reality. People were saying they planned to boycott companies that donated to certain campaigns. Everywhere I looked, someone was spewing negativity. It seemed never-ending. 

Then, the snow fell. 

For the first time in months, my feed was finally positive. 

No one was talking about politics. No one was cooped up inside glued to a computer or screen, reading negative things about themselves or others. Everyone was posting pictures of themselves, and their families in the snow. 

Friends gathered together to go sledding on hills, using makeshift sleds. I saw tin garbage cans, skim boards, boogie boards, and knee boards all on the hills. People who may not even typically interact were outside all together, throwing snowballs and enjoying the scenic view. 

On Tuesday, I was dismayed. I saw the snow coming down and received pictures from my sister and her husband of them playing with their dog in the snow. I wished I had someone to play with I thought. 

Then, came Wednesday morning. 

Some of my high school girls from YoungLife were going sledding, and I tagged along. 

I instantly felt happy. 

We all went out there and no one was judging what each other wore. We all looked mismatched in flannel pajama pants, oversized jackets, beanies, and rain boots. For once, I wasn’t overcome by the pressure of work. I could breathe. I could have fun and not be worried about a deadline or a meeting I needed to hurry off to. 

No one was in a rush. It was as if the day slowed down and allowed everyone to take in this rare opportunity. 

It was while sledding with my high school friends, that I recalled the book. 

Snow may have a literary meaning, but on Wednesday I believe its literary meaning took root in society. 

The snow ushered in a clean slate on social media and in life. Wednesday began a day of no more political banter, kids enjoying the outdoors again, and family time. 

How often do we see a full family playing outside in their yard together anymore? If I’m being honest, it’s been years. But, on Wednesday, families were outside all together, building snowmen, throwing snowballs, and making snow angels. 

My hope is that this snow brought about a new beginning and a reminder to families to enjoy time together. I want everyone to slow down their lives as we did on Wednesday and find joy in time spent with friends and neighbors on more occasions that just a snow day. 

While we are at it, let’s post those positive interactions with friends and neighbors, and stop spewing negativity. You would be amazed at the simple shift in mood a positive social media feed can have over that of a negative one.