As April unfolds, we watch the flowers emerge from their long slumber under the earth. The trees begin to bud and the birds return from their southern journey. Those of us in the Northern states open our windows and air out our homes. We revel in the promise of warmer days, while shedding our coats and scarves. Yet it is in these moments that we recall the winter’s snow and the lessons we can glean from it.

  I was witness to the January blizzard that blanketed New York City. I walked the streets of Manhattan while the wind blew and the snow swirled. I witnessed the fallacy of the “rude New Yorkers” and the truth about the “city that never sleeps.” Despite the weather, the storm brought out the best in people and from it we can learn many lessons for life.

•         Embrace the storm – As much as we pretend to have control over our lives, the truth is Mankind will never triumph over the weather. There are simply things that are out of our control. We must accept this rather than fight against it. Storms will come into our lives and the lives of those we serve, and we have the choice to accept it and ride out the storm or rail against it…and still ride out the same storm. Ease comes from embracing our challenges. I have a mantra that I teach the members of my grief support group for when they feel overwhelmed. I teach them to repeat over and over to themselves, “There is no storm that lasts forever.” This reminds us that emotions will shift, challenging times will pass and nothing stays the same.

•         People are awesome – I saw strangers come together to push out stuck taxis and other cars. Again and again, people reached out to help one another. Restaurants stayed open, despite the driving ban, and fed the tourists and other workers who remained in the city. Hotel staff spent the night in order to serve their guests. Stormy times brings out the best in people. Our innate empathy calls upon us to assist those in need with kindness and compassion.

•         You can’t live life through a window – From my hotel window I could watch the snow blow, but walking in it, I could feel the cold, see the people and completely immerse myself in the experience. Life would be very dull indeed if we viewed life through the safety of our homes or offices. It is one thing to watch others and another to be a part of whatever is happening. We grow and learn from everything we do.

•         If you can’t work, you may as well play! – Imagine Manhattan with no cars clogging the streets, no Elmos in Times Square accosting you as you make your way through this landmark. Now picture Times Square with snowmen popping up within the usually crowded sidewalks. Children and adults throwing snowballs and playing outside as the blizzard raged. Sometimes all you can do is give in and have fun. Work may have to be set aside and stress eased with some playtime. Let your inner child out to play and see what fun you can have on even your toughest day. Even a few minutes of fun can ease your anxiety and bring a smile to your soul.