As I sit to type this column, temperatures have dropped here in Dallas. Thermometers showed 51 degrees as I drove home from work at 2:40 a.m. Outside it felt like it was in the mid-thirties, and yours truly was dressed in shorts, reminding me of my time in Beltsville, Baltimore, where I literally wore shorts all year round for work. After the heat of the summer, the change in weather is welcome, here in Texas. As we brace for a few months of cold weather, I think back to the days in Beltsville, shoveling snow off the sidewalks, driving to work in some treacherous conditions and then driving my FedEx truck into West Baltimore, to deliver packages on roads that were rarely treated.
The cold weather brings back memories of the snowstorm we had in 2010, where I can vividly remember watching the first few snowflakes land on the parking lot at the FedEx facility on Golden Ring Road where I was PM Manager. I sat there all alone, trying to finish reports for the day and then plan for the next morning, as we had to be open in case customers showed up for their packages. I drove the 50-mile distance to my home in Beltsville, put some salt on the ground around the tires of the SUV, knowing I would have to drive back to Baltimore, the next morning. I covered the vehicle with a blue tarp, after spraying some windshield wiper on the windows, so they would not be hard to clean off. In the morning, I set off from Cherryvale Drive where I lived, fought to get up the hill by High Point High School and then made sure I descended slowly towards the traffic light by the fire station, just before I 95. There was a lot of snow on the ground, and it was still coming down. It took me forever on 95N, driving at speeds of 15 – 20 mph, to get to work, only to realize that I was the only one who had made it in. I think one other employee showed up and together, we just stayed there watching the snow come down heavily, and then eventually we got the phone call to say Operations for the day would be suspended, so again I had my challenging drive back to Beltsville. The scene was nice, seeing all white around me. My heart went out to the people driving 18-wheelers, who had to keep going either headed North or South. That is one job you cannot pay me to do --- driving an 18-wheeler in those conditions.
So back to reality now and back to cold Dallas. I guess in this weather, some people are excited to put on winter-type clothes. So, we will see the boots pop out, the sweaters, the hoodies and all. We will have the young guy who owns a pickup truck silently praying for a little adverse weather so he can put his pickup truck to the test --- oh, it happens every year, and then you see the crashes afterwards.
Do I like cold weather over hot weather? I really do not have a preference. I am just thankful to be able to experience the change in seasons. While some will complain, others like me are just happy to be alive. Do something different this year. Look at the good in every situation. If the weather is cold, be thankful for it. If it gets hot, still be thankful.
So, as we get ready to sit and feast for Thanksgiving, let us pause for a moment and reflect on what we must be thankful for. Let us be thankful for the other human beings that live around us and help to make life worth living. Let us be thankful for the hardworking officers at the Police Department in Beltsville, the respective first responders, the medical personnel around us, the person who works at our favorite local supermarket, our educators, our garbage disposal crew, our neighbors, our church family and more. Be thankful that when you turn your key in faith, the car starts even though it is criminally cold (an expression I learnt growing up in Nigeria). Thank you, dear reader, for supporting your own Beltsville News. Have a great thanksgiving, a safe end of year and a blessed Christmas.