It was a case of “ask and ye shall receive” on Tuesday when we posted to our Richmond News Facebook page a request for readers to send in their photos of the snow.
A ton of great photographs poured in, one we even deemed worthy of our front page. (Check out others on page 25 and online.) Many of the photos could have taken that top spot, but I couldn’t resist that lovely snow angel and the sight of such joyful abandon — something, I’d argue, we could use a little more of in our lives.
While the rest of us grumble about shoveling, “Do you know how long it took me to brush off the car this morning?!” fret about getting to work and complain about the lack of snow plows, it’s refreshing to see a child revel in the wonder of it all.
I actually love snow. And not just because it’s pretty and white and makes the world look magical. I also have a secret admiration for the chaos it causes — not so secret now.
Granted, it’s easy for me to say. I can always take a bus to work and still be here in 20 minutes. And, no, I wasn’t stuck for three hours on the Canada Line. (Actually, what’s with that? As soon as the weather gets bad, in other words, when we need it most, the Canada Line seems to throw a hissy.) But I, too, am a victim: I can’t ride my bike to work, which irks me, and like everyone else, I have to bundle, shovel and trudge.
Regardless, I think it does us good to have to adapt and bow, often literally, to nature. It’s a reminder that we’re not in control of everything and that the world doesn’t revolve around our agendas and to-do lists. One might even call it humbling, reminding us to respect the natural world that sustains us. In this age of global warming, a little humility may just be what saves us.
I also love the snow for how it brings people together.
Yes, I’ve heard the OMG comments about pathetic drivers — our story about the Richmond driver fined for not brushing off his completely snow-laden car got a ton of hits — and thoughtless residents who don’t shovel their sidewalk, but there are also plenty of comments from folks like Huilin Liu (page 4) who talks about the “nice young man” who came over and shovelled her driveway.
And speaking of community builders, back to the photos.
Just because the snowfall warning has been lifted, our call to residents to submit their pics hasn’t. There’s something about sharing images of ourselves and our environment that goes a long way to creating connection.
To that end, the Richmond News is starting a new feature on our website where we will regularly publish submitted photos that reflect our community. So get those cameras poised and, readers, you’re in for a treat. Judging by what we’ve seen so far, Richmond has some amazing photographers.
Meanwhile, I’ll soon be heading to Arizona to escape the next bout of winter weather — no irony there.
