Surviving the Polar Vortex

Surviving the polar vortex that hit Chicago was no joke.

I’m a gal from southern India where a cool day is 72 degrees F. Now, I live in suburban Chicago which went through a polar vortex last week. The temperatures dipped to as low as -27 degrees. Wind chills were between -50 and -60 F.

I’m not used to this kind of cold. I’m a tropical weather gal. And yet, these are the temperatures where I live now and I must learn to survive.

The coldest days were also bright and sunny day, but it looked like a ghost town outside my window. Schools and offices were closed. Everyone was staying indoors, trying to keep warm.

My neighbors woke up to frozen pipes. The Village let us know that it was a common problem in the neighborhood. But I had running water. I had heat. I had warm fuzzy socks. I had sweaters and shawls and blankets. I had hot tea.

As I cooked oatmeal on the stove this morning, I thought about this. A lot.

This is true abundance.

Yet, we’ve come to associate abundance with the size of our bank accounts. I woke up feeling utterly, completely grateful for heat and running water on this bitterly cold day. Something we’ve come to take for granted.

I remember days in India (only ten years ago) when we waited for the water truck to arrive so that the overhead tanks could be filled and we could take a bath. I’ve had to cancel meetings at the last minute because the truck didn’t arrive on time.

The one tool we really need to survive not just below-zero weather but any difficulty in life is Gratitude. Gratitude for the Abundance we already have.

Just look around you. Whisper a blessing of thankfulness for every little thing in your space right this minute. The couch. The mug of coffee. The heated home you live in. The phone or laptop on which you’re reading this. Wifi. Your pet. Books to read. Food in your refrigerator. Water in your faucets.

It takes your breath away, doesn’t it! You are rich. I am rich. Let’s give thanks every single day for what we have, and not gripe about the stuff that’s still missing.

Everything in your life today is on loan to you.

We don’t get to take anything with us when we leave. So, let’s really, truly appreciate every bit of it as long as we’re here.

What are you grateful for RIGHT NOW?