Is it cold enough for you?

As I look at a weather map of North America on my computer this morning, I see most of the continent experiencing sub freezing temperatures. Televisions, front pages of newspapers, radios, the internet, office chatter, and check out line small talk are all abuzz about how cold we are.

Weather seems to be the only topic that most of us have in common anymore. This can be both good and bad. It's good because at least we do have a conversation starter. It's bad because too often it ends up being the only conversation.

Oscar Wilde once said, "Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative." In many ways this is true. I wonder how many times in my life I have missed opportunity of meaningful interaction and conversation with other people because I defaulted to the weather. On a larger scale, what important conversations in families and communities are not happening at the expense of small talk about weather (and I add sports, but that's another blog)?

However, on a day like today, or when tornados or hurricanes occur, the weather is important conversation because it means life or death for some people. Come to think of it, on a much larger scale, as we experience human induced climate change on our planet, maybe we should begin to take Mr. Wilde at heart by moving beyond "talking about" the weather and into more imaginative conversation about our primary human role as caretakers of one another and the only home we have.

In the meantime, stay warm today. And if you have opportunity, offer someone else warmth, whether literally or with meaningful conversation.