Just the Threat of the Thing Can be Bad Enough

There is a snow warning for North Georgia for today. The schools have been closed, businesses closed and some public services have already called it a day. Not a snow flake has been seen yet, but the panic has ensued. My husband already went to the grocery store and bought provisions, and the only snow shovel we have with a bag of salt have been placed strategically near the walkway. We are as ready as we ever can be.

And still not a snowflake has fallen with the temperature currently in the forties. The sky looks ominous and still no sign of snow. My husband and I grew up in the North, where snow is a daily occurrence during this time of year, and inside we laugh a little at our obsessive behaviors. Having lived in the South for a while we know that in this area – with curves, hills, poor road maintenance and WAY too few snow plows – the best thing to do is prepare and wait for it to melt. We get it, so when we laugh we are really laughing at ourselves.

There is a great quote from Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. He said, “There is no terror in the bang only in the anticipation of it.” I feel that way living in the South and waiting for snow. Snow is beautiful, peaceful and brings such a different perspective on beauty; it is the pre snow panic that gets everyone all riled up. It is the topic of the day until it actually happens or doesn’t as the case may be.

Isn’t that true for most things in life? The anticipation is what drives us crazy. The unknown, the fear of what may or may not happen, the uncertainty of whether or not all the preparations have been enough. It is enough to consume your thoughts even when they thing hasn’t even happened yet. We lie in bed thinking, making lists, anticipating and wondering about all the options of the thing that may or may not happen. We expend all this energy on something that hasn’t happened and when it does it almost seems like a big let down. We overthought, over panicked, and over worked ourselves into a frenzy for the bang that wasn’t even that fear provoking.

Time to take a deep breathe and let go of the anticipation. Time to trust in what we have done and let the rest go. The bang will or will not come and we will go on after the bang…and be okay. And if it does snow I plan to play in it and enjoy the beauty while it lasts.